The Janus Saga: A look on another one
by Weiila
Summary: Appendix to Another life. If you wondered about a certain someone in that story, here're your answers! AU: Janus of Zeal has grown up in Guardia castle instead of among the Mystics, and he is now the royal wizard of Guardia. CT seminovelization, complete.
1. Here's to start satisfying your curiosit...

I don't own anyone here, just the story. Everything else, even the bandages (since they come from Guardia castle) belong to Squaresoft. I could consider the staff (not the people working, the weapon!) my creation, though…  
This is what might grow to the sequel to Another life, but for now it's just an appendix.  
Thanks to Starx and Spoony man for reviewing. As for your question about the Masamune, Starx… well, Charash is after all a fabled dragon, so isn't it proper that he's only vulnerable to a fabled weapon?  
No really. Let's just use the explanation I might use in this possible sequel; dreamstone is a completely Light based metal and therefore very powerful against evil/Shadow. After that the Masamune sucked up a lot of power from the Mammon machine it became hardened for all sorts of magic, and also more or less unbreakable. This leads to very sharp edges that were able to cut up Charash's thick scales. Happy? ;) Anything for my readers.  
Now, let's take a look at a certain someone! (I'm pretty sure you'd like to know how life turned out for this fellow…)  
  


A look on another one

Chapter 1

For a long while the world was nothing but darkness. Then, slowly, a distant sound pierced the gentle dusk.

  A voice that drifted closer.

 "... Me the power of Water..."

 "Ngh..."

 "Na matala sela, don't move, na matala sela..." 

  The young man blinked as golden stars carefully washed over him, easing the aching that ruled his battered body. He looked up at a familiar face. 

 "Nice to see you..." he whispered. 

  The figure that sat on his knees by the wounded one's side smiled a bit, bitterly. 

 "The same to you," he replied but then sighed, "more or less. Don't move." 

  He added the last as his patient tried to sit up but fell back with a groan. 

 "It'll take me a while to heal you to the fullest, so keep calm." 

 "How did you find us?" the patient muttered. 

  A campfire sparkled somewhere behind his head, he could hear and smell it, apart from noticing the light. The young man's caretaker sighed as he wrapped up his friend's arm in a bandage. 

 "I knew your route, after all," he muttered. 

 "So did Ozzie..." the patient bitterly said. 

 "Yes. And I came too late. Curse it all!"

  The caretaker dropped the bandage and with hopeless anger hit the grass with his fist. 

 "I should have come with you!" he snarled, "I _knew_ something like this would happen, damn it!" 

 "It's not your fault..." the patient sadly said, "who would have protected the kingdom if we all had left?" 

 "No, you don't understand!" 

  Growling, the caretaker stood up. 

 "I mean that I _really_ knew about this!" he snarled in frustration, "I should have locked you two up in the dungeons to stop you from leaving!" 

 "What are you talking about?" the patient asked, frowning. 

  The caretaker sighed, his back turned at his friend. 

 "There're a lot of things I more or less know about the future..." he finally said in a low, growling voice, "but I wasn't sure."

 "What?" 

  Slowly the standing man turned around, and in the flickering light of the fire he suddenly looked haggard and  tired. It shocked the patient; he had never seen his friend like that. 

 "There are things... that I've never told anyone here. And I can't tell you yet either, but someday I will."

 "But what..."

 "You'll understand," the caretaker said and sat down again to continue on the bandage, "but you'll have to see some of it with your own eyes. Now..." 

  He sighed again. 

 "What happened?" he ended the sentence. 

  The man that was being healed closed his eyes in anguish. 

 "I tried to help, but..."

  He gritted his teeth, and everything fell out at once. 

 "... I couldn't do anything! And then when... when Cyrus... I couldn't even run because I was terrified! Damn it all!"

 "Hold still..." 

 "He died so that I'd have time to run and I failed to do even that!"

  He frowned. 

 "What... happened?" he stuttered, suddenly in horror as his memory caught up with something. 

  His caretaker put the wounded arm down, slowly shaking his head. 

 "At least you're alive, Glenn." 

 "Wh-what...?!" 

  With pain the healer watched his friend's horror as Glenn realized that his body didn't feel the same way that he remembered it to be.

 "What did he do to me!?" Glenn harshly whispered. 

 "Had a little fun, I guess," the caretaker grimly said, glaring at the dark sky as if it was all its fault. 

  With another sigh he pointed at the peaceful river and muttered a spell. At his command a shard of cleanest ice, like a mirror, leaped from the water into his hand. 

 "Take a deep breath, Glenn." 

  He held up the shard, reflecting his friend's face to him. Glenn's immediate, fully understandable reaction was a screech of horror. The caretaker pushed him back so that his wounds wouldn't get worse. 

 "We'll fix it, I promise!" the unharmed of the two harshly said, "there's a way to reverse it, calm down!"

 "I'm a _frog_?! Ah...!"

  With a groan Glenn collapsed on his borrowed bedroll, taken aback by the wounds. 

 "God, and Cyrus died in vain..." he almost sobbed, in shock. 

 "Na matala sela..." 

  Another healing spell eased the pain again, but couldn't help off the terror. 

 "You were afraid," the caretaker grimly said, "that's human."

  Glenn groaned. 

 "Sorry," his friend sighed, "but the Mystics invoke terror for everyone." 

 "Except you," Glenn bitterly muttered, "you face death at least once a month and sneers." 

 "That's because my assassins are second hand crap." 

  The caretaker shook his head. 

 "I've also been in Ozzie's hands, and I know the horror all too well," he grimly said, "you shouldn't blame yourself for being frozen in fear." 

  Glenn blinked. 

 "What, you?" he stuttered, "when?" 

 "Many years ago. The only reason I got away... is a twist of fate you wouldn't believe at this point."

 "What are you talking about?" Glenn asked, puzzled. 

 "I was saved, but mind you..." 

  The friend pursed his mouth. 

 "I could just as well have been the one to kill our knight and curse you, if the Mystics' plans for me hadn't been spoiled." 

 "Janus..." 

 "The spell Flea put on you will be broken if he dies."

  Janus reached out and picked his bladed staff from the ground. 

 "Convenient, isn't it?" he growled.

 "You can't attack the Mystics, then you'll get killed for sure!" Glenn tried to exclaim, without much luck. 

  It was more of a croaking. Janus sighed again. 

 "I know. But one day, I swear, we'll kill those murderers and get you back to normal, Glenn. Until then..." 

  He rubbed his forehead. 

 "We'll have a hard time telling everyone back in town." 

  Glenn groaned. 

 "I might just disappear..." he miserably said, "there's no place for me there now." 

 "That's not a good idea." 

 "Everyone trusted in Cyrus! How will they react when they get to know that he's dead?" 

  At first Janus was silent. 

 "I understand what you mean," he finally said, "but we can't exactly..." 

 "And what are you doing out here?" Glenn shot out, "you're supposed to..." 

 "I had to find you!" Janus snapped, "should I just have left you to limp back in that form by yourself? I put that spell on you and Cyrus to know your state for a reason!" 

 "The king and queen are far more important than I, and it's your task to protect them!"

 "Pha!" 

  Janus stood up, frustrated. 

 "I wouldn't say that _I'm_ the one to protect anyone. Leene is not the target for all my assassins!" 

 "But if you weren't there she'd be!" Glenn growled. 

  They glared at each other.

 "Fine, have it your way," Janus finally grunted and sat down again, "but I'm not letting you just disappear. We'll _make_ you a place, and that's that. You'll help me protect our royalties." 

 "And how would you get me there, without letting anyone know who I am?" Glenn said in disbelief.

 "They know that I suddenly left without a trace, but I didn't tell anyone that it was because I felt that something had happened to you two..." 

  Janus scratched his head as he thought aloud. 

 "From now on you're an old victim of Flea, and if it hadn't been for you my latest attacker would have managed to bring me all the way to Ozzie's castle. It was a batcreature, with poisonous claws that made me loose consciousness. It tried to fly me to the Mystics, but when it had to rest you killed it. How about that?"

 "Be glad that you aren't the one making up your assassins..." Glenn grunted. 

 "I hope no one listens and takes notes," Janus said with a slanted smile. 

 "Heh... behind you!!" 

  Janus whirled around at Glenn's screech, finding nothing at all. He turned back with a grimace. 

 "Don't _do_ that!" 

  Glenn bitterly smirked, only for a second a bit lighthearted of the old joke. 


	2. Meetings

Thanks for reviewing the first chapter, Jade Dixon :) So alright, following your request I have written more. As you will see there are some details about our original Janus missing in this story, but they'll eventually be added as well. For now, let us concentrate on the saved warlock.  
  
And for heaven's sake, I STILL don't own anything!  
  
On with the show!

Chapter 2, Assembly

Two years later.

  The wind was the only sound to be heard by the foundation of Denadoro mountains, apart from a few birds' chirping. But just a couple of minutes ago they had been silenced in fear. No threat was to be seen any longer, however, so they dared to pipe up again.

  Then suddenly some of the flyers fled in panic as a dark hole opened in thin air above one of the cliff ledges. Two shadows stepped out and looked down at the grassy path about eight feet below them. Their sharp eyes noted the strange marks in the grass, despite the distance. Two sets of eyebrows went up, they didn't even exchange glances to confirm their thoughtfulness.

 "What could be trying to ambush him?" one of them said.

 "No idea," the other muttered.

  Both of them glanced at the continued path. Some thick bushes grew at its turn ahead, and the ripped tracks seemed to end there.

 "We'll know when he shows up," the first one calmly concluded.

  The second nodded. He was about twice as old as the first one to speak, and when he moved it was with a slight stagger. The first of them watched his companion as he leaned back against a rock with a grunt.

 "Tell me what happened," the first said.

  The older slowly shook his head.

 "When he comes..." he said, resolutely.

 "Very well."

  The younger one pursed his mouth. He was worried for the older man, for more reasons than empathy. Even though the empathy for this particular person was about as deep as it possibly could get, that wasn't all.

  A distant sound caused both of them to turn their heads and they silently sunk down on one knee not to be seen. Any viewer would have gotten the creeps about how exactly alike they moved. And as if the mirrored movement wasn't enough...

  Footsteps came closer, down the path. And a figure came walking into sight, dressed in a light, white-brown cape with a hood that hid the wearer's face. The boots that were seen below the cloth were made of warmly brown leather. A polished, smooth staff hit the ground for every second step as the hooded person walked.

  Two pairs of eyebrows went up again, but the men kept still and just watched.

  The figure reached the first torn footprints in the grass and sunk down on one knee, reaching out a hand to touch the torn earth.

  He straightened up with a grunt and reached up to push the hood backwards. 

  A sun burned face was revealed, marked with a scar that had torn up the right eyebrow and also forever changed the cheek. The red eye had been spared from the assault, however, even though it obviously had been a close call. A white headband held back a flood of blue hair as the two eyes followed the tracks and finally stopped by the lush bushes.

 "Alright, I'm here!" Janus called with a roll of his eyes, "and I know that you are as well, let's get it over with!"

  With a hissed snarl a thin green creature leapt, or rather flew out of the bushes. Three sets of eyebrows knitted. 

  It was a seven feet humanoid mantis, standing on its back legs. Even if it only had two front legs, those were equipped with claws that resembled to broadswords.

  Janus deeply sighed, with one light movement releasing the ties that kept his robe tied up. The cloth fell and got thrown aside. Beneath it the man wore a pair of light-purple pants with a dark belt and a white-brown shirt. He was muscular, but not to the extremes. And it wasn't the shape of his body that gave the observer the idea of power; the man seemed to emit strength and determination harder than diamonds.

 "Flea is running out of ideas, isn't he?" he said with a small sneer, swiftly throwing his staff between his hands, "and I was starting to think that he was getting better..."

 "Don't be too full of yourself, you puppet," the mantis hissed, its completely black eyes flaring with rage.

 "Me, a puppet?"

  Janus' voice suddenly became sharp, and his almost amused look turned to steel. Without moving the slightest his entire body changed from the relaxed stance into something that promised instant death for any opponent.

 "You don't know what you're talking about, grasshopper..." he said in an icy voice, "but come on then, if you're so sure of your abilities."

  The mantis didn't even reply. Fast as a bolt of lightning it exploded forwards, but Janus was quicker. He leaped aside while taking the staff in his right hand. With a snort he stabbed it into a stone, and there was a sharp, zipping sound. As the human took his weapon in both hands and held it still for a second before the battle truly began it was unveiled that two metallic blades had erupted from the two ends of the hardened stick.

 "Interesting, that," the older observer admitted.

 "Truly. Hm, look over there."

  The older followed his companion's glance and smiled a little.

  By the turn of the path that the blue-haired man had come from three other warriors now stood. One young man with fiery red hair held up by a white-gray headband, one blond woman in his age and finally a creature made entirely of metal.

  They were all watching the battle with open mouths – well, apart from Robo because of his lack of such – which wasn't much of a surprise. The two combatants were almost invisible, moving so quickly that it was nearly impossible to see what was happening.

 "I think we better stop them before they decide to interfere," the younger said.

 "Good idea."

  The younger nodded and stood up while muttering in a low voice.

 "And freeze," he said and pointed one gloved palm at the battle and the other at the southern path.

  Janus looked up in surprise as the claw he had been ready to parry with his staff never came. With raised eyebrows he watched his frozen opponent, petrified in a stasis that normally should have brought it to fall.

 "You're doing fine, I see."

  He looked up in further surprise and gave a wide grin as a figure leaped down into the grass a few feet away. A blood red cloak flowed and swayed by the flight and impact, but the wearer seemed untouched by any movement. He smiled a bit as well, hardly able to contain his true delight upon seeing his young student in full strength.

 "I almost thought you had forgotten about me," Janus said as he walked past his enemy and grabbed the hand of the Pawn of the Mystics.

 "Certainly not, I've just been busy," the slightly older warlock said.

  He suddenly looked up at the ledge and added.

 "In fact, I'm still busy. But somebody needs our help."

  With a grunt another blue haired man with a crimson cloak landed on the path. He was definitely older than the other two men, even though he looked very much like them. Thin face, blue hair – even though it was a bit gray below his pointy ears – red eyes and a muscled body. But despite that he seemed very strong at first sight, something was obviously wrong with him. His shoulders were crouched and he grimaced as he reached up to massage his forehead.

 "Now this was unexpected," Janus said with raised eyebrows.

 "I thought the same," his teacher agreed and looked sharply at the older, "now can you tell us why you need our help?"

 "Yes, but you won't like it."

  The oldest Janus sighed and tried to straighten up properly.

 "I guess you see that something rather unusual happened to me," he darkly said with a hint of irony at the understatement.

 "It's not exactly difficult to notice," the one with different clothes said with a frown.

(Authors note; from now on the "original" Janus will be called the Prince, the one who was enslaved is the Pawn and the one of the time stream they all are in will be the one named Janus, to avoid confusion.)

  The one being questioned gravely nodded.

 "You know the rules, I shouldn't give you details," he said, but knew he didn't really need to say that.

  His mirrors of different time streams nodded agreement.

 "Well..." 

  Another deep sigh before he finally managed to assemble enough nerve to let it out.

 "I've settled in a certain time with Schala, her family and a close friend you'll meet later. Yes, Schala. You'll find her."

  He sighed again and shook his head.

 "Things had been peaceful for years," he bitterly said, "when suddenly the emperor started a war, or if we got attacked, I don't really care. In any case he wanted me to help. I refused and..."

  He gritted his teeth and looked away.

 "... Because of that, the emperor made sure that Schala's son was in the first line. Of course he got killed. When we got there I..."

  His hand spread over his face for a moment before he let it fall and could continue.

 "... I knew it was my fault and I fell into more or less trance of despair. Of course there was a force that just had waited for a moment of weakness..."

  He fell silent and threw a bitter glance at his silent mirrors.

 "So, to sum it up," he darkly said, "I need your help to resurrect Janatzer, because I don't have the power to do it anymore."

 "Are you saying that...?" the youngest of them said in disbelief.

  The sky received a cold glare.

 "I need your help," the Prince darkly said.

 "So why are we still standing here?" Janus said, straightening up and letting the query pass, "our nephew's dead and we better mend that."

 "I agree," the Pawn gravely nodded.

  The oldest almost smiled a bit.

 "That would be appreciated," he said.

  He raised his hands and opened a Gate, but it wasn't without apparent hardship. It took several seconds before the portal reluctantly grew big enough. But as soon as possible the men left without looking back at the frozen mantis and heroes.

  The Gate closed.

  A few seconds later it opened again, and three Januses returned. But this time, they all moved more relaxed than when they left. For what had seemed like a handful of moments for the inhabitants of this time stream had been much longer for the blue-haired men.

 "Alright then, my turn to fight Lavos," the youngest grinned.

 "And remember what I told you," the Prince said with a small smile.

  The staggering was gone, he seemed filled with fresh new energy. Whatever had happened while they had been gone, it had obviously been good in some way.

 "That shouldn't be a problem if I'm ready for it," Janus nodded.

  While the two others talked the Pawn was watching the still frozen mantis.

 "And what might this be?" he asked as the conversation was finished.

 "Oh that..."

  Janus rolled his eyes with a dry chuckle.

 "It's my latest assassin."

 "Your what?" the Prince said with raised eyebrows.

 "Me and Flea are waging a private war," Janus said, sounding almost amused, "I'm being assassinated once a month."

 "Flea never used transforming magic like that in my time stream," the Pawn said and grunted, "well, he never sent others to kill me either."

 "It's not really more than a swift irritation nowadays," the one with the staff said and shook his head, "none of them have been good enough to give me more than this scar ever since I was fourteen."

  He motioned at the right side of his face.

 "What exactly are you doing here in Denadoro mountains anyway?" his old teacher asked.

 "Looking for the Masamune."

  The Prince gave Janus a very sharp look.

 "You're what?" he slowly said.

 "Looking for the Masamune," Janus repeated and glanced towards the approaching, frozen heroes of Time, "and then I better go and kick some fighting spirit back into Glenn so we can get started."

 "I am not hearing this," the Prince extremely slowly said.

 "So you say?" Janus said with amusement, "what role did you fill in your time stream then? You never told us."

 "I was the leader of the Mystics."

  This time the Prince was the one receiving sharp looks, from two directions.

 "You were what?" the Pawn slowly asked.

 "I kicked Ozzie off the throne and led the war. That was until Glenn and the others showed up, but it didn't pass without complications. In the end we fought together, however."

 "That is indeed twisted..."

  Janus easily leaned at his bladed staff with a small smirk.

 "If you were the king of Mystics, that technically makes us enemies since I am the royal wizard of Guardia," he continued, amused.

 "I am not hearing this..."

 "I could say much the same about your profession," the Pawn grunted.

  He glanced at the mantis as a low, cracking sound was heard from it.

 "But in any case, I can't hold the spell much longer," he said.

 "Well, I need to get going I suppose," Janus said with a sigh, "it was interesting meeting you."

   His old teacher smiled a bit, but the Prince just looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he suddenly gave a small grin.

 "I think I actually want to see how you do," he said, "I'll be watching."

 "Good idea," the Pawn agreed with a similar smirk.

 "At your service," Janus sneered as he took the defensive stance in front of the mantis that he had been in before meeting his mirrors.

  The Gate closed behind two red cloaks.

 'Wake up,' the Pawn's voice almost immediately commanded from inside of Janus' mind.

  The royal wizard caught the two bladed arms against his staff and heaved forwards, causing the mantis to fly backwards with a screech. It hit the cliff with its back paws and shot towards his foe again.

  With a snarl Janus threw himself aside and rolled away from the sharp edges that plunged into the grass and earth.

 "Hang on, we're coming!" a young woman's voice suddenly called.

 "What the...!" 

  The mantis screeched in frustration as an arrow hit the panzer on its thin chest. The dart bounced and fell to the ground, but at least the monster's concentration had shattered. Before it had time to recover a massive, metallic fist flung against its head and it stumbled backwards.

  Janus whirled to his feet, glancing at the three helpers. He tried not to smile widely in triumph upon seeing those he had waited for finally before him.

Take this! the young man of the troop called while rushing at the surprised mantis, katana in both hands.

 "Are you alright?" the young woman called and ran up to the wizard even while she was fidgeting with her bow to get another arrow into it.

 "I'm fine," Janus replied, keeping his voice at normal surprised gratefulness, "thank you for the help."

 'I see, you'll save them the truth for a while,' the Prince said.

 'At least until I know whether they know from which time I come or not,' Janus thought back.

 'Wise decision.'

 'Why thank you.'

 "Are you Janus, the wizard?" Marle asked, not looking at the blue-haired man but carefully aiming at the mantis.

 "The very same."

  He looked up as he heard Crono's chanting.

 "Save it," Glenn's old friend called, "Flea makes all of my assassin's magic proof."

  Crono stopped calling upon the world's powers and grimly nodded, getting ready for a direct assault with pure strength and sword skill instead.

  But before the young man had time to charge his enemy's wings turned into a blur and the monster left the ground.

 "You weakling!" it hissed, its black eyes locked on Janus.

  It then shot upwards and disappeared above the cliffs.

  With a snort Janus held up his staff in his left hand and waved a little with his free fingers. Accompanied with another zipping sound the two blades shot back into the wood, without a trace.

 "Another one down..." the wizard absentmindedly murmured, glancing towards the monster's escape route.

  He turned to his helpers and smiled a bit.

 "Thanks, that was unexpected," he said and reached down to pick up his robe, "and who might you be?"

  Of course he knew already, but as he had decided to hide his past until he had information about his allies' knowledge he was determined to play the game to the fullest.

 I'm Crono, the young man said as he sheathed his katana, this is Marle and Robo.

  He pointed at his friends while saying their names.

 "You helped save the queen," Janus nodded while shaking Crono's hand, "Frog told me." 

 Yeah, him, Lucca and me saved Her Majesty, Crono said.

 "I have to thank you for that. You did what I failed to, as I was on the completely wrong track at the time."

 'I'm not hearing this...'

  Janus had to fight a smirk at the voice in his head.

 "So, what can I do for you?" he asked and turned to Marle after shaking Robo's hand without even blinking.

 "We are here in pursuit of the sword Masamune," the robot informed with his beeping voice, "we received the information that you had gone here to find it as well and decided that it would be logical to search your help, sir."

 "Is that so?"

  Janus' smile turned a little wider.

 "Then let's go, it's said to have been placed somewhere on top of this mountain after the last owner died."

  His smile faltered and his eyes darkened during the last few words, however.

 "I... take it you knew him?" Marle carefully said after a moment's tight silence.

  Janus slowly nodded.

 "Yes, Cyrus," he explained, "Guardia's finest knight, and a good friend of both Frog and me. The leaders of the Mystics killed him. And Frog was..."

  He fell silent and shook his head.

 "That's not a tale that I should tell," he said and threw the robe over his shoulder, "let's go."

 "Yes, but... eh... what about that grasshopper thing?" Marle said, a bit nervously glancing at the sky that was to be seen between the cliffs, "shouldn't we have stopped it in case... well..."

 "Don't worry about that, I've seen several dozens of his kind," Janus said with a tired sneer, "Flea just won't give up trying to kill me. Nothing to worry about, it's set on me and won't attack anyone else, if that is what bothers you."

 "I don't know if I'm relieved or even more worried..."  

  She straightened up and looked around.

 "So, who's coming along, now that we've got Janus here?" she asked, "I still think that somebody should go and try to get Frog back on his feet."

 "He's still depressed?" Janus grunted and rubbed his forehead, "that stupid amphibian..."

 'That's in fact the only normal thing you've said so far,' the Prince dryly commented, but the small smile wasn't a sneer.

 "Considering you resemble to queen Leene I believe that you are the one who'd succeed in making him feel better, Marle," Robo beeped, "however the roads aren't safe to travel alone with the monsters around."

 "I know..."

  Marle sighed and leaned her cheek in her hand.

 "It might be out of place, I know," she said, shifting between sad and sheepish, "but I can't help but feel sorry for him. He really thinks he's a failure."

 "Ha!"

  Janus snorted and shook his head.

 "He's a failure?" the wizard said in disbelief, "he's the one who saved the queen from Yakra!"

 Yes, but he's still feeling lower than a mole, Crono grunted.

 "Is he in his home in the Cursed woods?" Janus asked.

 "Yeah," Marle nodded, "I'd go but..."

 "No problem, I'll teleport you there."

  The young man, the woman and the robot looked at the wizard in surprise.

 "Can you do that?" Marle asked.

 "Certainly. Do you trust me?" Janus returned.

 "I know Frog and everyone else around here does, so yes," the princess said with a smile.

 "Very well. We'll be there in a few hours or so."

  Janus raised his staff to point at Marle with it.

 "And tell him that if he doesn't get a grip of himself I'll drag him out of his hole in his tongue," the wizard added before he closed his eyes and muttered a short spell.

  A strong light erupted from the staff and swept around Marle. As it faltered she was gone.

 Whoa! Crono stated.

 "The unknown force was truly very impressive," Robo agreed.

 "It's nothing too complicated, however I can only teleport to places I have visited earlier, or use people's memory for it. So we'll have to climb the mountain."

  Janus motioned at the path ahead with his staff.

 "Shall we?"

  And so the royal wizard of Guardia finally joined the heroes of Time, after thirteen years' waiting.


	3. Inside the head of a royal wizard

Nope, still don't own anything. It's all Squaresoft's property… even if this is a twisted thing ;)  
  
Anyway… it'll be from Janus' point of view for a while now, to get his character deeper. I felt I couldn't add any deeper thoughts in the last two parts, and I don't like that. So, lean back and let him tell you his story. And considering that this is his thoughts and he's got the two other versions of him watching over him, you can await some rather interesting comments ;)

Chapter 3, Inside the head of a royal wizard 

Author's note: 

In order to let you properly get to know this new Janus, the following two chapters will switch from third person view to first. So, I now leave you to Janus' storytelling…

Throughout my entire life I have tried to do the right thing, to repay the people who protected me while I was weaker. I grew strong, fast. Thanks to my teacher, and I am him forever grateful for all he did for me.

 As I grew up in the castle I also grew into the role I came to automatically fill, to become the "royal wizard". I got the title officially on my eighteenth birthday. Of course, "royal" was never really necessary, considering that I am the only human in this time that know magic.

 Oh well, I used to be.

 What my title, what my place has meant... king Guardia offered me a sanctuary while I was a child, and I chose to become the sanctuary for him and for his people.

 But all the time, I knew I wouldn't stay there forever. I was waiting, everyday I was waiting for this moment, when I finally would meet the other time travelers.

 I already knew Glenn, of course. Or Frog. I only call him Glenn when we are alone.

 Despite my first views of him and Cyrus – the weakling and the towering guardian, rather pathetic – the three of us became friends.

 I knew what could happen when Cyrus decided that he was going to find the fabled hero medal and the Masamune in order to help us in the Mystic war. I wanted to go with him and Glenn, I didn't want their possible fate to occur. But, as the knight managed to force into my head...

 I had a duty.

 Funny, isn't it?

 Ironical that I, the bratty little prince of Zeal, would become such a responsible man.

 Cyrus won, of course. He knew I wouldn't have the nerve to leave, knowing that the monsters could find out about it and take a chance to redirect one of my assassins to the king or queen.

 Ah yes, my assassins...

 I clearly remember my first one. I was twelve, and he was some kind of lizard creature that climbed up the wall of the castle and broke into my room during the night. Luckily I have a tendency to come awake at the slightest sound. This can be infernally irritating, but it does serve a purpose.

 It wasn't my screams that called the guards, it was the beast as I hunted it back through the window with very irritated lightning bolts. My days were filled with studying magic, and I could become very grumpy when I didn't get the rest I needed. Especially if I was awakened so abruptly.

 But even though I had beaten the first, Flea would send another. And another, and another, and another...

 I wasn't kidding when I said that I'm being assassinated once a month. Roughly, that's the time span between the attacks. 

 Flea is too impatient to train his creations properly before sending them off. I don't even know what monsters he's using for the transformation spells.

 I'll hand him two things. His stubbornness is admirable, and he can surprise me sometimes.

 My face is scarred, so all of them aren't only laughable.

 But their master isn't. After all he, Slash and Ozzie managed to kill Cyrus and transform Glenn into what he is today.

 Someday me and Glenn are going to kill Flea and reverse the spell.

 I came too late...

 I knew I should have come with them.

 Damn Cyrus.

 There is of course a chance that I would have been killed as well. But even so, I should at least have tried.

 It seems that whenever I make a mistake, it's deadly. Somebody always tends to end up bleeding, somebody that shouldn't have.

 I even failed to protect the queen against Yakra. Once again I came too late. And I searched around the place where she disappeared, alone. And while I did, they found Marle and thought that she was Leene. And Crono and Lucca came to find her.

 Those people that I had spent thirteen years waiting for. When they showed up, I was out. Looking for someone who already had been taken way away from where I strayed.

 And Glenn met them instead. I knew he would. But when I finally came back, finding that I was late again, I could only feel disappointment.

 Yes, they would be back. For one reason or another. So I just had to wait a little longer.

 But I felt that I hadn't been able to do what I set out to do while in this era; protect everyone from those who were my possible masters.

 And to top it all off, Glenn felt even more miserable since he had gotten the role as Leene's guardian. Despite his victory in saving her, he had left the castle to pay for his disgrace.

 For one day I stayed in the castle, my agitation building up for every passing minute until I was about to explode.

 It is said that a fabled hero will retrieve the Masamune and save the lands from evil in the darkest hour. My teacher had told me everything I needed to know to be ready. Glenn needed to be equipped with the Masamune and we had to fight Ozzie together with Crono and the others.

 This is what I had been looking forward to for all these years.

 If only Glenn wasn't such an idiot.

 I went to the king and requested his allowance to leave in pursuit of Cyrus, Glenn and the Masamune.

 Glenn couldn't live with telling anyone who the giant frog really was, and I respected that. Even if it meant that we had to live with being the only ones who knew that Cyrus wouldn't ever be able to come back and help us fight for the humans.

 So once again I lied to my liege.

 By the way... is "I'm not hearing this" your mantra, my friend?

'I'm not hearing it!'

 I can feel the other voice in my head smirk a bit, as I do.

 He may claim whatever he want, our older mirror... but I feel a sense of pride for my strength, that he cannot hide.

'Pah!'

 You try to be the coldest one.

'Given. Old habit, perhaps. But I refuse to agree that I could have been you.'

 And why do you sound amused, saying that?

 I smirk a bit, turning my face away from Crono and Robo not to make them wonder about my behavior.

'Just go on...' he tiredly grunts.

 Very well.

 The king didn't want to see me leave into dangerous grounds filled with monsters. After all it's not unknown even to the humans that my head has a sky-high price within the Mystic's circles. Flea would by now do just about anything to get his hands on me.

'Now don't give me any mental images...'

 Have to agree on that, now I feel a bit sick myself actually...

 Eugh.

 In any case, I am a very wanted man. But the king and Leene let me go after a rather long conversation of convincing matter.

 Immediately I teleported to the Cursed woods to see Glenn. As the time travelers had finally come I knew there were only a matter of days before the Zenan bridge would be attacked.

 Yes, I felt utterly guilty leaving the king's side when I knew such a crucial moment approached. But at least I would be able to teleport back if needed.

 Admitted, I knew Glenn could be hard to convince back into fighting.

 But that he would be that hard necked I hadn't expected. And I couldn't tell him of the urgency of action since I felt he wasn't ready for the entire truth. He had met our future comrades in arms, but not heard their full story nor traveled in time.

 So I took a risk. I decided that I would go and try to find the Masamune's blade that according to Glenn had been stuck in the ground before Cyrus' dead body last he saw it. But back then, on the day when I came too late to save my two friends... all me and Glenn found on the ledge where the battle had stood was the hilt of the sacred sword. The blade and the remains of Cyrus were gone. 

 But in the area I sensed a magic surge that wasn't from a monster, that felt strangely familiar. 

 Glenn spoke of two peculiar creatures with pointy ears and noses, who had guarded the sword. Cyrus had defeated them to win it.

 The description of the guardians also itched in my mind, but I could never remember. 

 But at least those facts led me to believe that those who had taken care of the sword earlier had chosen to retrieve what they could and keep watching over it.

 So the hilt and the hero medal was all we had left of our friend. I wanted Glenn to have both the artifacts, since he had been by Cyrus side to the bitter end while I hadn't. But he insisted and the last part of the weapon is well hidden in my room at the castle.

 Denadoro mountains were my only clue to the other half of the weapon. 

 By using the transporting spell I had already signaled to Flea that I had left the castle, though he possibly couldn't have sensed where I went. And leaving territory where humans lived created the risk that I wouldn't know if the Mystics launched another attack to reach the capital. And also, it would leave me personally vulnerable to attacks.

 The problem with transporting spells are that other magic users that know the force can sense it vaguely. And if they manage to "catch" that sensation they will be able to prepare for further investigation.

 Therefore I've tried not to use that magic too often in case something like this would happen. 

 Yes, I did teleport Marle back to Glenn. However, even though I was the one casting the spell she'd leave a different track than me, and would be safe.

 Flea already knew I was out somewhere and he will try to find me, nobody else.

 So, even though it would have been quicker and might have been safer in the short run I chose not to teleport to Denadoro mountains, but walk.

 It would take much longer, and I could be attacked by regular monsters along the road... however it lowered the risk for nasty surprises in the mountains. 

 Should Flea manage to get a firm grip of my teleportation path, he'd be able to pinpoint my location and also follow me there via my own magic tracks. And he'd definitely bring company.

 To keep fairly anonymous during my journey I bought that robe in Porre and headed north.

 Of course I was attacked, but those encounters were sporadic by loose groups of monsters.

 Those were no problem.

 What I didn't count on was another assassin. The grasshopper came earlier than I thought my next foe would. And despite that he did put up a good fight.

 Each one of the beasts I have faced have seemed to be able to smell me miles away. I have no idea how Flea does it…

 But that doesn't matter.

 Finally my waiting is over, the real battle can begin.

"According to my calculations a short rest would be in order," Robo suddenly beeps.

 Crono agrees, in his strangely silent yet speaking way.

 I have to admit that since we might face a couple of vicious sword guardians we should save our strength, even though I'm eager to get this over with as soon as possible.

 Cyrus managed to beat them alone, but I've been taking enough chances now. I can take risks, never feared to do so. However, I never like to risk others' lives.

 We sit down in the shadow of a cliff, well... if "sit down" is the appropriate word when it comes to Robo.

 I suppose it's bound to happen sooner or later... I shouldn't hide everything to them. Since they don't seem to recognize my name I take it they haven't entered Zeal yet.

"Anyway, why are you looking for the Masamune?" I ask my two companions, innocently.

 Crono shifts a bit, hesitating of where to begin. I hold back a smile.

Well... he finally starts, uh... I guess this might sound a bit weird, but since we might be fighting together I suppose...

"Oh, don't worry," I say while battling the smile even more furiously, "very little surprise me by now."

Okay then, the young man starts again, we, Robo, Marle and me aren't really from this time. That goes for Lucca too, she who helped me and Frog with the queen. We come from the future.

 I raise my eyebrows, and even Robo seems a bit surprised at my calmness.

 As I said, I won't hide everything, but let it out bit by bit. And a big chunk is approaching. But not just yet...

"So you say?" I calmly reply in a smooth voice, "and what brings you here then?"

Uh, aren't you shocked? Crono asks.

"Actually not very much. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Are we to understand that you already were informed about time travel?" Robo beeps.

 I turn my face away and stare off in the distance, my fingers tapping against the staff resting across my lap.

"In fact, yes."

 I turn back and smile a bit.

"I am a wizard, after all," I add to take the edge off of their suspicion.

 It works. Crono relaxes a bit again.

Oh, I see... he says, you surprised me a bit.

"Fully understandable. Go on," I urge, not unfriendly.

Well, we got the idea that the Mystics here might have a connection to a fearful beast named Lavos, and...

 I was waiting for that. Crono almost falls backwards and Robo beeps in alarm as I fly to my feet, staring down at the two of them with a dangerous scowl.

"What do you know about Lavos?" I demand, managing to make my voice as harsh as I hoped.

You... know him? the young man almost stutters.

"You can say that our connection is rather personal, yes," I grimly say and sit down again.

How then? he asks.

 For a moment I glare at my staff.

"It's a long story," I finally tell the two of them, "for now, let's just say that since we have not only the search for the Masamune in common, but also share the same enemy, I'm going to come with you even further."

 Finally I darkly look up.

"What do you know about him?" I repeat.

"Necessary data is missing," Robo sadly says, "the information we have is limited. We know that he is a dangerous creature that will arise in the year 1999 AD and almost completely wipe out life as we know it on this planet."

 Slowly I nod.

"I see."

Say, what do you know? Crono carefully asks.

"I know that he's a parasite growing stronger with the life force of our world," I say through clenched teeth, "that he is an intelligent being who can fool and possess humans if he find use of it. I've seen that once too many."

 To mark an end of the information stream I straighten up and grimly nods.

"I see what you mean," I murmur, "if the Mystics might have some connection to him this whole world and time is in grave danger. It can be that we only can fight them with the help of the fabled hero and his sword. In any case, I'll help you."

 I stand up and look ahead on the waiting path.

"And Frog is going to take that sword and help us as well, even if I should have to run it through his thick little green head."

'Hah, there's hope for you yet...'

'Don't break my theater here!' I smirk in my thoughts.

 And we begin to walk again, towards the summit of the mountain.


	4. More ponderings and a battle

Chapter 4, Battle on the mountain 

The sun is high by now, shining down at our small troop as we proceed. We're closing in on the summit. 

    As soon as I reached the foot of the mountain I felt something calling me there, intuition or something else I do not know.

 'You'll see,' my oldest guardian mutters in the back of my head.

 'I understand.'

    Neither of them will interfere, just watch and comment my thoughts. I must say I enjoy it, strange as it may sounds.

    But on the whole I'm not very amused.

    I'm delighted to have met my destined allies, still their reason for being here troubles me.

    Crono explained to me that in his future there is a village of monsters who doesn't bother the humans, and I figured it is placed on the Mystic island in the northeast. In any case, there Crono, Marle and Lucca had learned that the great magician Flea had predicted the coming of the great beast Lavos.

    If there is even the tiniest connection between them…

    I have never battled Flea personally, though he is the one that officially is crowned as my archenemy. Crowned by both sides. In any case, I never felt his full strength when I was skilled enough to measure it.

 'You've got greater skills,' my teacher grimly mutters, 'however one should never underestimate any one of those three.'

 'Agreed,' the one who was "those three's" king says, 'they are fools on the whole and Ozzie is an all-out idiot. But they can be dangerous foes still, considering that they're prepared to use every dirty trick there is at the same time.' 

 'Did you allow them to live despite all they did to you?' my teacher asks in distrust.

 'Yes, I even let them be my generals.'

    My eyebrows take a flight as my possibility reveals another part of his story. He clearly doesn't want to, but force himself into it.

 'At first it was only to keep the monsters assembled,' he grimly tells the two of us, 'and of course to humiliate them. That last thing never changed. Looking back, I am also amazed that I never killed them while still ruling. That came later, with Glenn and the others.'

 'Why did you lead the war?' I ask.

    I have to know…

    He's silent for a while.

 'I tried to summon Lavos to kill him myself,' he finally confess, 'and no, I couldn't have been more arrogant. The spell to do it doesn't require sacrifices, so that wasn't the reason. No…'

    He actually sighs, once again showing that he isn't the cold creature he pretends to be by habit. I stopped believing in that mask as soon as I saw him by his… our dead nephew's side.

 'Ozzie had already started the war when I took over. I think I was twenty by then, I had lost count over the years. And it was a disaster; a complete, bloodied lock for both sides. However I saw that the humans might get the upper hand and in the end crush the Mystics. And I needed time to find a way to summon and fight Lavos. Having my surroundings crumble and burn around me was not in my plan, so I had to do something to hold back the humans.'

 'I see…' I grimly think.

    And to think… I could have been doing that.

 'There's worse, even if that might be a term defined by the observer,' my teacher says in an emotionless voice.

 'Quite right,' the former king of monsters grunts.

    He sighs again before he speaks once more.

 'Tell me, do you even know why the Mystics were formed, in the very beginning?'

 'Why?' I repeat, rather blankly.

 'Ah yes, I never bothered to tell you more about Lizard…' my teacher says.

 'Well, he needs to know as well, because that monster will save your lives. I doubt that will change considering the circumstances.'

 'What?' my teacher sharply says.

 'What are you talking about?' I ask with a frown.

 'Lizard is Ozzie's ancestor,' is the patient reply, 'and the complete opposite to the monster sprung from him. That goes for Warrior and Magician too, Slash and Flea's ancestors. Look, it's a rather long story. I'll just pour the tale into your mind from mine next time you sleep.'

 'Very well,' I say after a moment.

    Not exactly anything I ever had considered possible…

 'Me neither,' the two voices says almost simultaneously.

    Heh…

    Suddenly something dashes through the air and I have to duck.

 "Look out!" I snarl as another small rock almost hits Crono's head instead.

 "It's one of the armored birds inhabiting the lower lands," Robo calmly beeps.

    It's standing on top of a cliff, too far away to be hit by magic. The freelancers, as they call themselves, are… well, let's just say that they are smarter than goblins -which goes for bushes as well- and stronger than imps. And they are fairly fit with those swords and the armor they're using.

    He can't kill us with the rocks, but they might hurt.

 Let's just walk past, Crono proposes, irritated.

 "Very well," I agree.

    The monster screeches as we quickly slid down an almost smooth cliff to a lower ledge, out of reach for the bird. Too late I realize that the call isn't frustrated. 

    The bushes around the new ledge move…

 "Crap!" I mutter and stab my staff into the ground to release its blades.

 'What's wrong with Zealan curses?' the oldest of my companion grunts, '"crap" is hardly worth to be entitled curse.'

 'Oh, I don't think they're threat enough to really deserve worse…' I say with a light smirk.

 'Good point.'

    Another freelancer and three goblins with big wooden hammers rush out of the bushes and surround us. Crono already has his sword ready, Robo doesn't have any visible weapons but his fists.

 "Be careful, the goblins can be tricky when they've got those hammers," I warn from the corner of my lips as we back up against each other.

 "Hey, dirty human," one of the green monsters grunt with the others' approval growling, "we ogans, no goblins!"

    Normally you wouldn't call that a voice coming from the creature's throat, it sounds more like the sound of somebody stepping in thick mud. I roll my eyes.

 "Ogans," I nod with a sigh and big deal of sarcasm, "got it."

 "Good," he snarls, smugly.

 'Which simply is their word for "goblin with big hammer",' my teacher dryly comments, 'you know how to fight them, don't you?'

 'Of course I do.'

    Well this is refreshing. It was some time ago I actually could use magic during a battle, since all my personal threats are immune to that power. Ever since my third. That was when I learned the hard way that I had put physical training aside for far too long. I was just lucky to still have…

    I clench my teeth at the memory, it can still cause me loss of concentration during battle.  

    Robo attacks one of the ogans before I can stop him, and the monster easily parries the robot's blow with his weapon of hardened wood. Meanwhile Crono has engaged battle with the freelancer.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire!" I shout while Robo tries to fend himself from two of the green beasts and the third approaches me with the hammer in both hands, ready for a blow.

    Don't even try it.

    I bury one of the staff's blades in the ground as I call out the spell's last word in old Zealan, focusing all my will at the sharp sound as earth enclose metal for perfect concentration. I have trained this well. Of course I don't need the staff to cast spells, but this is a trick I discovered.

    Spells must be mastered to perfection, that's a well known fact. Sometimes they can be magically learned through desperation, that works just as good as studies. But you have to know them to the fullest to use them for incarnating your power of will. 

    But you can take a step further. 

    My whole body knows the feeling of forcing the staff downwards, the sound at impact is as familiar as my own voice. Power, will, knowledge and familiarity creates a perfection and my magic is flawless. When I cast a spell, I am the magic. I am every sparkle of the lightning bolt, every drop of water, shard of ice, shadow of darkness, star of healing. And now I am every flame that erupts from my body and scorch the air without harming my allies or the nature around us. 

    But the ogans growl and drop their burning weapons, the freelancer leaps backwards with a pained screech.

 "Now you're goblins," I calmly conclude, smiling a bit at the former ogans and their rage.

 'Very impressive!' my teacher congratulates, sheer amazement in his voice.

 'I give up,' the old king of monsters very slowly says, 'you are almost an impossibility.'

 'I'll take that as a compliment.'

 'Do that.'

    Just a few minutes later all of the still living monsters flee; the goblins are nothing without their weapons.

 Good thing you were around, since we hadn't brought Lucca, Crono smiles and sheaths his sword.

    I return the smile and nod before rehiding the staff's sharp ends. I don't like having them out when there's no battle, it takes some by surprise and I don't risk cutting somebody by mistake. Besides, the metal might reflect the sun and give me away to an observer.

    We begin to walk again.

    Hm. Magic is my strongest point, many can fight. I always knew I needed both, and as I said I neglected battling with my body for a little too long.

    I managed to fight back my first and second assassin by myself, but the third one had the magic shield that everyone have had since then. 

    If I hadn't had my life guards then I would most certainly not have been able to walk in Denadoro mountains now.

    Thomas and Justin risked their lives to help me with that accursed thing. It was a ghostly creature, more the skeleton of a humanoid monster than anything else. I clearly remember the thin red eyes it had, burning with delight as I stumbled backwards. Horrified as I realized that my magic was useless against it.

    I was still weak, depending too much on my magic. Foolish. But that I was a fool, that's not the worse thing. I was still a child, so I suppose that it's not a real crime not to think of everything at the same time.

    Justin attacked first, my memory turns to slow-motion as I try to recall the battle. Thomas was just behind him.

    I'll be them forever grateful, and I let Justin know that whenever I see him. And I try to visit Thomas' grave whenever I can.

    Yes, the bastard killed Thomas and gave Justin a bad wound that almost robbed his life as well. That was the price of my foolishness.

    I suppose that at that point I wouldn't have stood much of a chance either, even if I had been able to fight a little. Still, I couldn't do much to help. Nothing to save my guardians who tried to save me.

    Damn you, Flea.

    Thomas died, for me. I still remember his laugh… he and Cyrus, I couldn't save either of them. Both of them good friends I lost, just like Schala and Alfador.

    Damn you, Lavos.

    The assassin fled, but came back later. To pay, it turned out. With help from my other guards, new ones and more of them.

    I began to train, so that nobody ever would be hurt in my place again. That was when I befriended Glenn and Cyrus.

    Knowing there was a chance I'd loose at least one of them later…

    I try to push the thoughts away. No time for that now. And I'm grateful for that the two watching spirits respect my feelings by being silent.

    This war has to stop. And Lavos must be stopped at all costs. I have to focus on the future and not the past. Well, not literally spoken… some things in the past need to be mended as well.

 "I believe that there is a cave up ahead," Robo reports.

    The itching in the back of my head is tingling as he speaks. Something really iscalling me there. And that's literally spoken.

 'What took you so long, prince Janus?' a singing, warmly laughing voice calls to my mind, and I almost stumble.

    That was neither of my mirrors. But… familiar…? Wait, I know this… only three creatures I ever knew had such voices, and that just has to be…

 'Masa?' I call back, silently.

 'Does he remember us, big brother?' another voice cheers in the background.

 'Seems so,' Masa replies, 'say, do you, prince?'

 'Quite well, I had my suspicions about the sword's name.'

    I smile in my thoughts.

 'Who's with you?' Mune curiously asks.

 'Some friends that'll help me fight Lavos,' I tell them.

 'Great!' Masa grins, 'we've been waiting for ages here!'

 'We'll have to test you!' Mune happily shouts.

    I nod at them without moving my head.

 'I understand. But you'll have to promise me one thing.'

 'What then?' they almost breathlessly asks.

 'Don't call me prince when we meet. These people here don't know about Zeal yet.'

 'Alright, we promise.'

 'Thanks. Now are you ready to be beaten by the bratty little prince and his friends?' I grin.

 'Let's rumble!' the guru Melchior's "children" merrily calls.

    And Crono reaches the cave. Robo and me are just behind him.

    Here we go…


	5. Retrieving the blade

Ehh, yep. I realized another mistake of mine. Sorry. Of COURSE the cat's name is Alfador, not Adolfus! Well, my only excuse is that I haven't had access to CT for almost a year *close to tears* But in any case I should have looked it up. Sorry ya'll :P  
  
Anyway, it's time for ACTION!

~*~

"I'm the wind! Whoosh!" 

    The happy call came from a small child dancing around in the middle of the cave. Laughing he leapt from the rocks lying about, seemingly filled with an endless power supply. As the two men and the robot entered the cave he stopped for a moment to merrily wave at them before he continued his private game.

 "What might a child be doing in this area?" Robo beeped, and even though he was a robot he sounded puzzled.

 Why do I have a feeling he's not a normal child? Crono murmured and continued to walk over the cave floor, keeping an eye at the joyful boy as he proceeded.

 'Welcome, prince Janus!' Mune silently called, swooshing by the wizard's side in his game.

 'Just don't call me prince aloud,' the blue-hair replied with a small smile.

 'I promised, you know!' 

 'They can't sense you, can they?' Janus thought deeper within his mind.

 'No, that could lead to a complicated situation,' the Pawn said with a shake of his head. 

 'Just making sure.'

    With his companions just behind Crono reached the other side of the cave. Sunlight flowed down through a hole in the roof, almost like a touchable ray shining over the sword embedded in the ground.

 'But that's wrong, it should only be the blade…?' Janus pondered with a frown.

 'It's a illusion,' Mune explained, 'neat, huh?'

 'Yes, it is. I can't see through it.'

 'Me neither,' the Prince admitted, 'Melchior knew what he did.'

    His remark was followed by a grunt from the oldest warlock's side.

 'For better or worse,' he added.

 "Hold it!" the boy called.

    Crono froze in his movement of reaching for the Masamune and looked questioning at the child that ran up between the warriors and the weapon.

 "Hang on a moment!" 

    Mune turned around.

 "Oh, big brother!" he called.

    From out of the sparkles on the metal another child stepped, identical to the first.

 "Yeah?" he said but jumped as he saw the guests, "what, _more_ warriors? Humans are so silly!"

 "Yeah!" Mune profusely nodded, "it's not who wields the sword that is important, it's how you use it!"

 "Agreed," Janus calmly said, "and we need it to fight a great evil."

 'So, you're _really_ going for Lavos then?' Masa asked with rare graveness in his voice.

 'Yes.'

 'Okay. But we still have to test you.'

 'I understand.'

 "Should we test them, big brother?" Mune asked aloud.

    Masa nodded with a tired smile. Faked, Janus knew.

 "I guess we better," he concluded.

    And with that they morphed.

    The two small boys were covered in a flashing light, and as it swept away from them again they looked completely different. Their skin had a yellow hue, they had no hair. Heads formed almost like drops of water with the protruding, sharp noses and very rounded back. Only the sharply pointy ears broke the smooth look. The clothes were white, long tunics in the finest cloth the lost kingdom of Zeal had been able to offer. 

    There was only one way to tell them apart, and that was that Masa wore a thick, green bandanna around his neck, while Mune's had a purple color.

 "Ready or not, here we come!" they called and dashed forwards.

    Janus tore up his staff in both hands and spun it before himself to knock Masa aside, while Crono was violently knocked into the cave wall by Mune. Both the hit ones got up quickly and prepared for a second round.

 'Hey, cool staff!' Masa silently cheered as he shook his head to regain his senses, 'don't hold back now, prince! Put the sharp ends to use!'

 'Yeah, we're not kids you know!' Mune heartily agreed.

    Janus frowned in hesitation, but when Robo was sent stumbling backwards he pursed his mouth and the wood sang against a rock.

 'Now we're talking!'

 "Wheee!"

    Yet another call from Mune, this one sprung from his hasty flight through the air after a direct hit from Robo's metallic fist. He crashed against the wall and bounced up with a merry laughter that was strangely contagious despite the situation. 

    The robot almost fell of the impact as the creature smashed into him, retaliating the attack received. And Mune didn't stop at that; he flung at Janus who ducked and swung his staff after the quick foe. The impact slammed the magical monster to the ground, but he got up again as if nothing had happened and Janus had to dance backwards while parrying pummels that such small hands and short arms shouldn't have been capable of. He found himself grinning a bit, returning the gaze from the two deep, bright eyes in the yellowish face.

    As the wizard fought the two voices in his head kept silent to spare him concentration.

 'Sorry you two,' Janus sent out to the twins, 'but I need to get back to the castle before the Zenan bridge is attacked.'

 'But we were just getting started!' Mune groaned.

 'Yes, yes… sorry.'

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Water!" Janus shouted and leaped to the middle of the cave with the magical words flowing from his lips just before the staff's blade hit the ground.

    Two massive chunks of pure ice appeared from out of nowhere and slammed into Masa and Mune, hurling them violently into the walls.

 Whoa… Crono muttered and rubbed his arm.

    He had been deep within a battle with Masa, and the chunk of ice had brushed by beside him without harming.

 "Had enough?" Janus asked while the ice dissolved, not unfriendly.

    But the brothers leaped up again, grinning excitedly.

 "Hey, only Cyrus made it this far!" Mune said.

 "Yeah!" Masa said, "but we're not done yet."

 'Boys, I don't want to be harsh, but we really need to get this over with!' Janus sighed.

 'Sorry prince, you must understand that we can't let you at Lavos without being sure that you and these other guys can handle him. Well, as sure as we possibly can…' 

    Before Janus had time to throw out further protest the two creatures turned to each other.

 "With Masa's wisdom and…"

 "… Mune's courage!"

 "Combine!" they shouted simultaneously, slamming into each other.

    And thus creating yet another intense light that signaled transformation.

 Oh, great… Crono sighed and changed grip of his katana as the gigantic, muscled beast hovered above him and his friends.

 "I believe that if he should trip it would be very hard for him to get back on his feet," Robo beeped in a low voice, carefully motioning at the very small legs holding up the fused beasts' body.

    The royal wizard grimly took his staff in both hands and nodded.

 "Ready when you are," he said, his voice completely calm.

    Masa and Mune's fused form roared enough to shake the whole cave before throwing out a massive arm against the three warriors. Crono and Janus managed to leap backwards in time, but Robo wasn't build to move quickly and crashed on the ground several yards away.

 "Are you alright?" Janus called, rather unsure whether his magic powers of Water would be able to help a creature made of steel.

 "Right side of back lightly scraped, no other damage to report…" Robo replied and managed to get back to standing.

 'As I remember it he could be healed by magic, so you should be able to do so in need,' the Pawn muttered deep down in Janus' mind.

 'Nice to know… now what?'

    The wizard's long hair flapped by the yellow beast's violent inhalation. Pebbles were drawn over the floor by the strong gasping and Crono's bandana almost got torn off his head.

 What is he… are they doing? the young man with the sword called above the wind.

    Janus pressed the fingertips of his pointing and middle finger against his forehead, partly because it helped him concentrate, partly because he was trying to keep his own headband in place.

    For an inner eye he saw the wind swirl into Masa and Mune's body, whirling into a thick pack of nature force…

 "They're storing power for a lightning attack!" Janus warned.

 It's going to hurt, isn't it? Crono grimly muttered and moved his feet into a defensive stance.

 "Not if we take them out before they can unleash it."

 Oh, great. Robo! Get ready to tackle him when I attack, and you try to slam them with more ice, Janus… alright?

 "Sounds fine to me," the wizard said with the shadow of a smile.

    Masa and Mune finished their breathing and grinned at their enemies, entwining their fingers…

 "Ready!" Robo metallically hummed.

 Now! Crono shouted and leaped forward.

 "Ta keich sanea wyh!" Janus called and once again buried the staff's blade in the ground.

    As he already had called upon the power of Water and hadn't chanted anything else of another element he didn't need to ask for power again and could go straight to the point.

    Robo's heavy frame smashed into the yellow twin-creature one second before Crono's katana cut deep within the stomach of the foe. But there was no blood, looked almost as if the metal had been run trough some kind of softer wood. However the forces still caused Masa and Mune to stumble backwards. 

 "Duck!" Janus shouted and threw his palms towards the battle area.

    Crono and Robo had just enough time to obey before more chunks of ice hit their opponent. 

    But even though the force made Masa and Mune rock aside they managed to keep their balance thanks to the cave wall.

 "Hachra…" Janus muttered under his breath, this time finding the enemy worth Zealan swearing.

    He tried to assemble enough focus for a second spell quickly, but a gigantic yellow fist hit the ground and a sharp light shot over the floor towards the wizard.

 "Janus, look…!"

    Robo never got any further before the blue-haired man flew backwards with a pained screech, the staff being torn out of the ground but then helplessly falling from a lost grip before the crash came.

 "Ow…" 

    Janus got up, shaking his head to regain orientation. His weapon levitated away from the floor and zoomed over to his waiting hand.

 "Well, can't expect to get away from _everything_…" he grunted and staggered a bit as he tried to move, "never mind me, I can heal myself. Fight him!"

    The last two sentences were added as it seemed that both Robo and Crono's focus on the battle was disrupted. But the wizard's order was sharp enough to be obeyed almost blindly and they turned back to the monster.

 "Na matala sela," Janus muttered and showered himself in golden stars.

    A second later he dashed forward and the staff forcefully hit Masa and Mune just between their horns. Janus' feet hit the big chest and sent him back into the cave; flipping over in the air brought him to a perfect landing.

 'Aww, come on!' the combined voice of the two grinned to his mind, 'you can do better than that!' 

 'So can you.'

 'Right you are, prince!'

 "Oh for the love of… look out!" Janus shouted and threw himself down.

    He had no time to see if his companions made it to the ground before the attack came.

    Lightning bolts danced through the cave, and no one was spared. The bolts were too quick and well-aimed to be avoided.

    With a harsh cry of pain Crono swayed, clutching his burned sides.

 "Circuits near temporary shutdown…" Robo announced with a dangerously fading voice.

 "Alright…"

    Janus staggered to his feet and leaned at his staff.

 "Now you've asked for it!" he grunted.

    The staff hit the ground even as the wizard was running his eyes over his allies. Robo had gone into at least a short stasis of "not working" so that his computer brain could mend the damage dealt by the harsh electricity. But Crono was still standing, a bit insecure but still.

 "Have you got enough strength left for a spell?" Janus called.

 Heh…

    The young man opened one tightly shut eye and grinned almost wickedly.

 I've been in worse than this, he stated and straightened up.

 "Good, be ready to fuse your magic with mine," Janus growled.

 Sweet, more lightning…

 "Dark powers of the world, I dare to ask of thee to lend me strength!"

 "Uh-oh…" Masa and Mune piped up.

 That doesn't sound too pretty… Crono commented with a grin and raised his arms, powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!

    The two men's voices flared together as they called out their spells.

    One white and one pitch black triangle swung into existence between Janus and the yellow beast, huge and small at the same time.

 "At the light!" the wizard bellowed.

 Ha! Crono called and threw out his arms.

    Lightning sprouted from his hands and flashed through the air. The white triangle absorbed the force it was offered and its light intensified until it became unbearable…

    That was when the black form swallowed the light.

    Time ceased to exist until the complete power was unleashed.

    Since the explosion was magical the ear couldn't detect any sound, so the waves went straight into the head without taking such a detour.

    It could be easily described with the simple word "ow!".

    Especially if it was aimed mainly at you and nothing else.

    Masa and Mune screeched as the pure dark energy, fused with Crono's lighting, imploded towards them.

    A moment later there was a beep.

 "Did I miss anything while I was shut down?" Robo asked as he got to his feet again.

    His scanners took in the scene with another beep, this one rather puzzled.

    Crono was just standing there, his katana hanging in a loose grip while his mouth was wide open and his eyes went between Janus and the yellow monster. The wizard was swaying hardly recognizable, pressing one hand against his forehead above tiredly closed eyes. And Masa and Mune…

    … They were placed in a hole shaped perfectly after their body. Since nothing of them were sticking out into the cave the gap in the solid cave wall had to be at least two or three feet deep considering their muscular form. 

 "You managed a good spell, Crono… ugh," Janus grimaced.

    His staff rose up to his free hand so that he could lean on it.

 Uh… thanks… the young man said in a rather weak voice.

    Masa and Mune's hands twitched a little, causing a few more cracks to appear in the cliff they were imbedded in.

 "Ohh…"

    With that groan they fell forwards and reverted into their non-fused form before they hit the ground, falling down on either side of the sword they had been guarding throughout all the years.

 "Br-r-r!" they muttered while shaking their heads to regain the senses.

 Still not enough? Crono groaned and tiredly took his weapon in a securer grip.

    But Janus straightened up and waved with a hand to signal to his allies that they should wait.

    The brothers managed to get to their feet and exchanged glances.

 "They beat us, little brother," Masa concluded with a smile.

 "That was fun!" Mune happily said.

    He made a small jump of excitement.

 "Do you think they'll fix us?" he asked, "will they find us an owner?"

 "Yeah," Masa nodded with another smile, "it'll be alright."

    And with that they smiled at the three warriors and melted into the sword in the ground. 

    As they did so, the illusion faltered and the weapon's true state was revealed. Where a whole sword had been resting in the ground, only a blade lay. The sun sparkled in the sharp edges as Crono walked over to it and picked it up. 

 Just a blade? the young man asked, confused.

 "It was broken when Flea, Slash and Ozzie killed Cyrus," Janus grunted while massaging the bridge of his nose, "don't worry, I've got the hilt. We just need to find the man who can fix it."

 "And who might that be?" Robo beeped while walking over to the wizard.

 "On the hilt there's an inscription that says 'Melchior'," the blue-hair revealed, "is that familiar to any of you?"

 "Isn't that the name of the weapon smith you, Marle and Lucca told me about, Crono?" Robo wondered.

    Crono nodded, walking down from the blade's resting place with the treasure in a safe grip.

 Yes, but… he can't be the same Melchior, can he? the young man said with a frown, I mean, the Melchior I know lives four hundred years from now.

 "I used to know a Melchior as well, many years ago," Janus grimly said, "what do you think? Is it just coincidence or something else?"

    He shook his head at Crono's sharp gaze.

 "I promise, one day I'll tell you everything," the wizard continued, "for now we need to get back to the castle. How are your wounds?"

    For a moment it looked like Crono was going to ask something, but he pushed it aside and lightly touched his left side.

 Could be better, he admitted.

 "Allow me," Robo offered.

    The softly yellow light of his "eyes" changed into green by his following words:

 "Launching medical system. Loading… done."

    Warmly green light sprayed over the two humans, seeming to melt into their skin and filling them with new energy. The singeing after the lightning bolts subsided and disappeared completely.

 "Interesting," Janus remarked and changed the grip of his staff since he didn't need to lean on it anymore, "future's magic, is it?"

 "It's based on infusing energy to the natural healing system of the human body," Robo gladly informed.

 Science is a sort of magic by itself, isn't it? Crono said with a shake of his head.

    Janus slowly nodded.

 "Yes, I suppose," he said, "but I don't think you should mix them too much, in general."

 'Wise words…' Masa muttered within Janus mind.

 'Are you two alright?' the wizard silently asked.

 'No problem, prince.'

 'That was such a cool attack!' Mune grinned.

 'Thank you.'

 "Hey, allow us to teleport you to the foot of the mountain," Masa's voice said aloud.

 "Wait, Flea might…"

    Whoosh!

 "… Find my trace," Janus ended with a sigh, "oh well, thanks."

 "Don't worry," Mune grinned, "we made sure that that weirdo couldn't sense you. Sorry we can't take you further."

    Crono needed to blink a few times before he could thank the spirits, which Robo already had done by then.

    Janus waved at the road towards the distant rooftops of Dorino.

 "Come on, we need to get going," he said.

 Can't you teleport us to the castle? Crono asked and fell into the wizard's step.

 "I'd like to," Janus sighed and shook his head, "but I can't risk giving Flea another chance to find my trace. You see, when someone teleport, they…"

    The three had walked quite a few yards before Janus had managed to explain the full principle. 

 "… And I can't send you two to the castle to save time either," the wizard ended his rant, "I hid my part of Cyrus' remains in a magical container that only I can open."

 And that magic you used to defeat the sword guardians? Crono wondered when his first query had received a proper answer, what the heck was that?

 "It's called Dark Matter," Janus grunted and massaged the bridge of his nose again, "it's the worst thing I can do, but I try to keep from going that far. It gives me a killing headache." 

 'The darkness doesn't like you,' the Prince muttered to him, 'that's why. You seem to almost have managed to convert from Shadow to Light.'

 'Light?' the Pawn and Janus blankly repeated.

 'It's not possible yet,' the oldest of them explained, 'Schala will find the path. Hmm, that's really strange.'

    The Prince mentally "shook his head". 

 'I didn't think it was possible to change the magic property you're granted…' he thoughtfully said, 'perhaps it's more based on personality than I thought.'

    He shrugged.

 'Speaking of which… are you two aware that the blade there is extremely deadly for us?'

 'It is?' Janus said with a frown.

 'In my timeline it was said that it was the only weapon that could kill me, so Crono and the others turned the Middle ages upside down to find it and get Frog to help them invade my castle,' the Prince gruffly said, 'I wouldn't say it's the only thing that can harm me, however…'

    He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he continued:

 'While I went to retrieve Janatzer's soul back there I talked to someone about it, and he explained that dreamstone is a Light based material and as you understand Light and Shadow doesn't mix. And whether you're changing or not you are still mostly Shadow.'

 'In your timeline it was said that it was dangerous to you?' the Pawn said with a frown, 'how could people know that?'

    The prince was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head again.

 'I have asked myself that quite a few times… it seemed like common knowledge all of a sudden, and to my chagrin it turned out being true.'

 'You killed Cyrus too?' Janus asked, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice.

 'I did.'

 'Ozzie didn't order you to do it?'

 'No, he did not.'

 'You killed Cyrus by own will?'

    The Prince was silent again. It took a few moments before he spoke.

 'When I met Cyrus and Glenn on that day, Ozzie was with me. I had long since created a spell of protection that should have kept my skin hard as steel and able to absorb all magic except spells from the element I last called upon. It worked with all weapons, all except the Masamune which cut through the magic and dissolved it. It was him or me, but yes. I killed him in cold blood, for I had no feelings left at the point.'

    For a while none of the blue-hairs spoke. Finally Janus released a deep breath, slowly.

 'Well…' he muttered, 'at least you're honest.'

 'And trust me, I dearly paid for it all before I came to find the two of you,' the Prince almost coldly said.

 'I agree, considering what you went through.'

 'That's nice to hear…'

    The Prince's voice was _almost_ dry and ironical. But just almost. And what was there didn't sound honest.

 "We might be able to find horses in Dorino," Janus said aloud, "if the Mystics haven't eaten them…"

 "How come the monsters haven't invaded the southern towns?" Robo asked.

 "They have."

    Janus sighed.

 "But there are monsters living in peace with the humans in both Dorino and Porre, and somehow they managed to talk the violent ones into leaving the humans fairly alone. I believe bribing was involved, but that's better than massacres. There's not enough soldiers to protect everything, tragically."

    He looked ahead, towards the west north west.

 "Besides, Ozzie's main goal has always been the capital, for should that fall the humans are likely to do the same. The king and queen is there, and our main military."

 So, repairing the Zenan bridge maybe wasn't a wise step? Crono grimly said.

 "No, probably not. Now they can attack and I'm pretty sure they will. But it was necessary or the king would have been completely cut off from his people with the monsters patrolling the beaches…"

 'Wait, they've passed the Zenan bridge without battling?!' the Pawn suddenly said, sharply.

 'It seems so,' Janus said with a frown.

 'It's different again!' the Prince scowled, 'Crono and the others should have won the battle by taking out the general leading the attack over the bridge…'

 'Oh great…' the Pawn hissed, 'what day is it?'

 'It's the second of October, why?' Janus sharply asked.

 '_Crachert_!'

 "Is that smoke coming from Dorino?" Robo suddenly beeped in alarm.

    Janus' eyes narrowed as he shadowed his eyes with one hand, his teeth clenching so hard his jaw almost broke.

 'Is that what I think it is?'

 'It is,' his guardians snarled.

 'I can't decide what curse to use…'

 "It's not from Dorino, it's from further ahead!" Janus growled aloud.

    The staff's end hit the ground.

 "Flea or not, I'm teleporting! They've started an attack against the bridge, get ready for battle!"

 Alright! Crono said through clenched teeth.

    The light engulfed them and they stumbled out on the plain just about a hundred yards from the bridge's south end. 

    The smoke that they had seen in a distance turned out coming from several great bonfires, which eerie shadows danced around while just as eerie creatures streamed over the bridge, pushing at the armored human warriors that tried to hold a stand from the other side. 

 "What are those fires?" Robo beeped as the three hurried forwards.

 "They're using necromancy to revive the dead warriors to skeletons that fight for the Mystics, we have to take out those magicians or the one leading the attack, otherwise the humans are doomed," Janus snarled.

 But can we handle all those? Crono grimly asked, pointing at the army.

 "If we just manage to kill the general they are likely to flee, and by the time we get there most of them will be on the bridge…"

 'That's funny, in my time stream the necromancy was taken care of out of reach…' the Prince grunted.

 'Same for me, these differences can be confusing…' the Pawn agreed.

 'Who's the general?' Janus snarled.

 'It was me in my version, but you knew that…' his teacher muttered.

 'Ozzie for me,' the Prince said, 'so it can only be… ah look, I was right.'

 "I see…" Janus hoarsely whispered aloud.

    Crono and Robo stopped dead in alarm as the royal wizard suddenly slowed down and ceased to move forwards.

 What…? the young man began but fell silent as he noticed Janus' gaze and followed it.

    In the light of the fires and the sinking sun a tall monster turned around as he noticed the shadows in the corner of his eye. For a moment time seemed to slow down as the wizard and the monster's eyes locked in a killing glare. 

    The dancing light sharply reflected in the staff's blades as Janus took it in both hands, his eyes as thin as the edges of his weapon. The flames flickered their light over purple skin and flowed the thin Slasher with mirrored fire as it was drawn.


	6. Wizard vs sword master

Time to get into more personal troubles for our strange hero here! Oh yes, I'm insane. Haven't you realized that yet?

~*~

"Why, if it isn't Janus the royal wizard himself!" the general growled, not taking his eyes off the man.

 "Your nose doesn't look like I remember it, Slash," Janus replied with a wry smirk, "my teacher says hi."

 'Hah, you're right,' the Pawn smirked, 'seems it didn't heal properly.'

    The Prince just smirked along at the memory of his dreamed reality, where his possibility had crushed Slash's nose in the escape from the Mystics' dungeon.

    The swordsman's eyes narrowed in anger by the same memory that amused the three blue-hairs, however. His nose really was pretty deformed after the assault all those years ago, and he wasn't pleased to be reminded. 

    But his next line had the same effect on his visible and two invisible foes that Janus' remark had had on Slash.

 "And you have some nerve showing up here, Magus," the purple-skinned monster coldly sneered.

    Janus' grip of his staff hardened while an almost strangled hiss left his lips and his guardians clenched their teeth in rage.

 "Temper, temper, boy…" Slash sneered as Janus' red eyes flared up with anger.

    By now many of the lower monsters had noticed what was going on, and a rather large group of skeletons and other beasts were hesitantly approaching. They had grown up hearing of the royal wizard, and those two beside him didn't look too weak either.

    Crono changed the grip of his sword while Robo beeped something about battle-mode.

    Almost simultaneously Janus and Slash held up a hand each, to everyone else's surprise.

 "No, he's mine," they both stated.

    Half a second later the Slasher cut deep into the staff's wood, but the sword master managed to tear his blade free and leap away before Janus had time to twist his weapon around for a dangerous loss of sword and a hit.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!"

    Since he was in the middle of a rather intense battle with a much quicker foe than usual, Janus had no time to use the staff for concentration; he had to use it to parry Slash's attacks while he chanted. Therefore his bolts weren't as perfectly coordinated as usual and his enemy managed to leap out of reach. A handful of skeletons got in the way and got fried however.

 "Peace over you memory…" Janus muttered to the now freed human souls and swung at Slash again, who ducked below the staff and shot forwards.

    The wizard danced aside and almost lost his balance as one of the purple snakes known as gnashers came in the way from behind.

 "You keep out of this!" Slash growled at the monsters and threw out his arm to shoo them away, "take care of his friends!"

 Don't mind us, Janus! Crono shouted and raised his sword to meet the first attacking eagle, you concentrate on Sludge or whatever his name was!

 "Slash, you idiot!" the sword master snarled, "by Lizard, is that so hard to remember?"   

 "Yes indeed!" Janus snarled and rushed at the leading monster.    

 "Bah!" 

    Slash managed to avoid the attack by leaping backwards.

 'Look out!' the Pawn and the Prince shouted simultaneously.

    But before Janus could jump aside Slash shot forwards again with a wicked grin.

 'To the left!'

    The wizard desperately bent on his guardians' command, but it was too late. The thin sword cut up a deep wound on his right upper arm and he almost dropped the staff.

 "And you survive all Flea's attacks, Magus?" Slash sneered and raised his free hand when Janus with a growl spun around after him, "he needs better raw material…"

    A lightning bolt sparkled from the monster's palm and Janus threw himself backwards to avoid the magic assault.

 "My name is Janus!" he snarled, "powers of the world, lend me the power of Water! Na matala sela! And crancha na lishoro!"

    The second after the first healing star appeared, an almost transparent tidal wave flowed from the ground around Janus' feet and stormed towards Slash. 

    However, the monster simply floated up above the powerful wave and easily avoided it. But his smirk died as Janus with a triumphant shout swung his staff around and turned the tide towards the monsters assaulting Crono and Robo. At least half of the odd thirty monsters were swept away and  with screeches fell down the cliffs beside the bridge. Perhaps the fall wouldn't kill them since the ocean wasn't _that_ far away, but it would take them quite a while to get back up. Especially those with the bad luck to end up below the goblins.

 "Thank you for the assistance!" Robo beeped.

    Crono made thumbs up before he had to care for another skeleton.

    Janus had no time to reply before Slash was at him again. The Slasher hit the staff once more and the wizard heaved backwards and twisted his grip at the same time. But even though Slash was thrown along, he sneered down at Janus while floating in the air. The wizard glared back, lying on the ground after the miscalculated assault.

 "Now that wasn't sm_ouff_!"

    Slash's taunting was killed by Janus' fist in his stomach.

 "Thought I was _that_ dumb and slow, didn't you?" the wizard smirked and spun to his feet while Slash landed and tried to regain his breath.

    Janus didn't give the monster time to neither recover nor reply before the staff danced in the wizard's hands and the sword master growled in pain. Dark blood stained deeply purple pants, running down Slash's chest and stomach. A long cut in the left arm was also managed before the monster managed to leap away.

 "Oh, don't start celebrating yet…" Slash snarled and snapped his fingers.

    A big shadow zoomed away from one of the bonfires and a deep, growling voice chanted, out of reach for the wizard. From the big, blue hands of the monster healing stars flowed and covered Slash in a warm light. He sneered and stretched as it faded; his wounds completely healed.

 "This will take forever if we keep healing," Janus dryly pointed out.

 "Not quite," Slash smirked, "I have got at least twenty sorcerers here to heal me, and how long can you keep it up?"

    Before the muscular, leg-less monster had time to move aside a massive fireball hit it. With a roar of pain it crashed on the ground and dissolved to nothingness.

 "Nineteen," Janus calmly remarked and turned his flaming hand towards one of the bonfires, "and twelve."

 "Oh no, you don't!" 

    Slash rushed at the wizard with a growl, but before the impact Janus had already released the second fireball and the fire that the sorcerers danced around exploded to engulf the closest monsters in the blink of an eye. 

    Even this attack was parried by the staff, but Janus was starting to sweat by now. He clenched his teeth and lunged forward, nearly managing to force Slash off balance.

 'That healing trick of his must be among the worst they could think of,' the Prince grimly snarled, 'you should withdraw.'

 'I can do this, don't worry,' Janus growled in his mind, 'if he's cheating then so am I.'

 'You're almost drained, and Robo and Crono are too busy with the monsters to help!'

 'Yes, but I'm not out of tricks… I haven't told you everything I've been taking care of yet.'

 'Why am I suddenly getting a very bad feeling…'

 'Heh.'

 "Give it up, Magus," Slash sneered, "you're growing weaker."

 "Call me Magus one more time and I'll decorate my staff with your ribs!" Janus snarled through clenched teeth.

 "I am shivering with fear…" 

    Janus leaped backwards and closed his eyes, pressing the pointing and middle finger of his right hand against his forehead.

 "Lai!" he bellowed, "I need you here, right now!"

 "What? Do you expect to be saved?" Slash sneered, motioning at the crowded bridge. 

 "No, now I expect to be killed," Janus grunted and opened his eyes while taking the staff in both hands again, "see, if you call for help then I do as well."

 'Lai who?' the Prince rather sharply asked.

 'I haven't been able to teach her telepathy properly so I can only call her aloud like that…' Janus muttered and leaped forward with the staff spinning in his hands.

 'You what?!'

 'I'll explain in a minute…'

    Slash ducked and dashed aside, getting around Janus with speed that shouldn't be possible by the laws of physics. But even that didn't work when the wizard threw his staff backwards and it got stuck in the ground, catching the Slasher one third of a second before it would have pierced the light shirt, skin and flesh of Janus' back.

 "I give, that was pretty impressive," Slash nodded and wriggled the Slasher free of the wood.

    His unoccupied hand grabbed the staff, tore it out of the ground and sent it flying in a wide bow above the ground and down towards the ocean.

 "I can just call it back, you know," Janus said, turning around.

 "No, I don't know…"

    Slash crossed his arms with a smirk.

 "In fact," he said, "Flea once told me that in order to call a weapon to your hand you need eye contact, so to speak."

 "Well crap."

    Janus threw a glance aside. Crono and Robo had almost cleared up all of the monsters, but it would still take them at least a few minutes before they could lend a hand.

 "Oh well, we're just going to have to do it the old-fashioned way…" he calmly said and took off in an impressive leap backwards, "powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!"

    Slash dashed aside and ended up just before the bridge with his back turned against it in his task to avoid the new lightning bolts. He got one second of standing still before a female voice was heard from behind him and he had to look over his shoulder.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire!"

 Lucca?! Crono shouted, dazzled trying to see past the monsters that still attacked him and his metallic companion.

 "Not quite…" Janus said and smiled at Slash as the Mystic danced out of the way for a storm of fireballs.

    Past the already faltering remains of the monsters a figure came, leaping on thick shoulders and naked skulls on her way over while her hands sent out storm after storm of fire.

 "Janus!" the newbie sharply gasped as she landed in the grass before the bridge's foundation, "I'm going to kill you, just so you know!"

 "Nice to see you too, Lai," the wizard calmly said before raising his voice, "take out the sorcerers by the fire, I'll handle Slash!"

 "Goddammit, sweetheart…"

    Held up in a horsetail a thin flow of red-brown hair, almost with a purple hue, danced over the dark shirt's back as the thin woman dashed across the grassy field. The new spell she shouted was about to be cut off forever by Slash, but Janus got in between with another storm of lightning bolts.

 "I wouldn't try to kill my disciple with me around, Sludge," the wizard said with a cold smirk.

 'Your what?'

 'I'm not hearing this and I'm _not_ seeing it either!'

 'Look, I knew I wouldn't be around forever,' Janus merrily pointed out, 'I couldn't exactly leave everything for Glenn to handle. She was the only one I could find with a natural ability I could help awaken…'

 'But it's _Lucca's_ ancestor, for all the powers!' the Prince almost groaned, 'and did she call you "sweetheart"?!'

 'Ah, don't worry. That's just a habit of hers.'

 'Thank all the good forces…'

    Lai took out four more of the sorcerers, the others fled before the fires they were guarding exploded. Slash growled as he saw his life insurance leave.

 "Alright, Magus," he snarled, "you win today but don't feel too secure."

    He jumped out of reach before Janus could attempt to crush every bone in his body.

 "You, retreat!" the monster roared at the last troops on the bridge, and then held up the Slasher towards the sky, "Flea! Get me out of here!"

    A strong light erupted from the grass around his feet and engulfed the purple monster. It flashed and was gone, together with Slash.

    The immediate reaction from what was left of the army was that they more or less blindly followed their general's orders upon his leave. The human soldiers stood thunderstruck as their bloodthirsty foes suddenly turned and jumped off the bridge into the ocean below, screaming and screeching among each other. Some just ran to the other side of the bridge and stumbled past Janus, staring at him in angered terror. He let them pass. They were filled up with hate, but too afraid to attack the man who had driven their leader to escape.

 Nice going, Crono commented as he sheathed his sword while walking over to the wizard.

 "You put up a great fight as well," the wizard said with a rather tired smile, "after all I was just handling one of them."

 "You're dead!"

    Janus turned around and sternly met Lai's killing glare.

    Her clothing was rather simple, a dark-blue shirt and a pair of brown pants, not at all dressed like a lady. She wore no accessories apart from a small collection of throwing daggers in her leather belt. One couldn't claim that she was beautiful, but she had some kind of perky prettiness. 

    The wizard held up his hands.

 "I know, I know," he patiently said, "I shouldn't have left without telling you, neither attacked Slash like that. Anything else?"

 "You know, I really, really hate you when you do that," Lai snapped.

    She suddenly held a small but very sharp dagger between her thumb and pointing finger.

 "Give me one reason, quickly, to why I shouldn't give you a matching scar."

 'I don't believe this…' the Prince grunted.

 'Heh.'

 "Because I'm sorry and I haven't got time to thank you for helping me out yet?" Janus said aloud.

    Lai slowly let out a deep breath and put the dagger back in her belt.

 "Fine…" she grunted, "for now."

    She sighed a bit and straightened up.

 "And who's with you?" she asked.

 "Crono and Robo," Janus said with a small smile, "this is Leila. But you better call her Lai or she'll peel you alive."

 "Pleased to meet you," Robo politely beeped.

    Crono shook Lai's hand but had no chance to speak before she cut in:

 "We haven't got time for this now. Janus, there are hundreds of wounded and we need you at the castle right away."

 "I see. Let me just get my staff."

    And the royal wizard of Guardia walked over to the cliffs and looked down, after a moment holding out his hand. A dripping and badly cut but at least retrieved weapon came to his grip and the group of four began crossing the bridge they had helped protect, towards the capital of the human civilization. 


	7. Picking up pieces, smashing others

  "Twandor shana weta, forteya na tera Schala."

    For your reading pleasure I shall translate that. What the royal wizard used as a password was Zealan for (in proper English) "Open up, protective seal, so says the brother of Schala".

    Janus hand ran down the wall of his room as he muttered in a low voice. As the last word echoed away one of the stones magically melted before his fingers and the bent hilt of a sword laid in the hole left after it. Janus took it out and handed it to Crono.

 "Bring it to Melchior and come back here once he's repaired it," the wizard said and shook his head before the question could be spoken, "I need to stay here and take care of the wounded for now."

 And are we going into the Mystics' lair then? the young man said, hardly able to contain his triumphant grin.

 "Yes, but we need Frog for it, he's the one meant to wield that sword as I understand," Janus grimly said, "it'll be dangerous, but you already know that."

    Crono grimly nodded.

 I don't want to bring Marle on this one, it's too dangerous, he muttered, I'll come back alone so you, me and Frog can go.

 "I understand."

 "But she won't be happy about it," Robo concernedly beeped.

 I know, but this is different, Crono resolutely stated, we're going to try assassinate someone who's got an army standing between them and us. We'll be back soon, Janus.

    The wizard nodded and watched his guests leave. Slowly he crossed his arms at the closed door.

 "I'll be down in a minute, Lai," he calmly said.

    There was a very deep sigh to be heard from the corridor and leaving footsteps.

    Janus shook his head and turned to his desk, pulling out one of the boxes. His hands grabbed a warmly yellow bottle and a moment later he emptied it with a grimace. To keep standing with the help of potions wasn't something he approved to, but he had used up a lot of power and had to start healing a lot of soldiers. Including the king, as well.

    His hand nearly crushed the bottle by the thought.

 'Goddammit…' 

 'In the long run you managed to do more when you left,' one of the voices in his head calmly said.

    Janus' eyebrows went up.

 'You surprise me,' he said with a small smile.

 'I think you need a good hit across the head, but I don't like the Mystics either,' the Prince replied.

    He even gave a short laugh.

 'Actually, I can't wait to see you fight Flea after that battle with Slash.'

 'Is that a compliment?'

 'I suppose, but don't get too full of yourself.'

 'Speaking of nothing, I think you should watch it with Lai,' the Pawn cut in with a tiny frown.

    Janus sighed aloud and nodded.

 'I know,' he muttered, 'I made it clear that I won't stay, but still…'

 'Let me just say this,' the Prince grunted, 'she's less creepy than a certain empress you'll have to know later on, but I still don't think letting it get out of hand would be a bright idea.'

 'Less creepy?' Janus and the Pawn said with raised eyebrows.

 'Just trust me on this…'

    The Prince very heavily sighed.

 'Still…' he reluctantly muttered, 'she did help me when I fought against Lavos before coming to get you two. Heh.'

    He massaged the bridge of his nose rather furiously for a moment.

 'By the powers, I can't believe I really did sign up on working for her despite that… ugh.'

 'My next assignment then?' Janus said with a small, slightly bitter smirk.

 'Oh no, no, no. No, absolutely not,' the Prince said with a lot of force behind his words, '_you_ are going to stay clear of Lashey, do I make myself clear? Less I'll have to come and cut you in half.'

 'What, do you think there's something with me and women?' Janus sneered.

 'This one in particular…'

 'Oh dear…'

 'You better get going now,' the Pawn pointed out, not unkindly.

 'Good point.'

    Janus put the empty bottle marked with "Full ether" on the desk and clenched his teeth as he left his room, mentally preparing himself for several hours of chanting and manually taking care of wounded when his magic would be drained again.

 'Oh yeah…'

    He stopped walking for a moment and pressed two fingers against his forehead, closing his eyes and searching for a mental link… there.

 'Can you hear me, Marle, Frog?' he silently called.

 'What was that?' the blond princess' voice exclaimed, completely startled.

 'Evening, Janus,' Frog grunted, not too surprised despite that he hadn't heard his friend's voice in his head before.

 'We've got the blade of the Masamune,' the wizard calmly reported, 'Crono and Robo went to get it mended. We'll be down to you by tomorrow evening or the day later. Is that fine with you?'

 'I don't mind, it's up to Frog,' Marle managed, swallowing her surprise.

    It took a moment before the amphibian answered.

 'Very well,' he muttered, 'Marle is welcome to stay here for the night, but I will not be fighting.'

 'We'll just see about that,' Janus emotionlessly said and cut the mental link.

    He began walking down the halls again, in his own and shared thoughts.

 'Just wish I could do that with Lai, but her magic abilities aren't strong enough for her to handle it,' he muttered in his mind, 'it took me months to coax what she's got to the surface. Still, she and Frog are the only ones in this time who are ready for it.'

 'So I've noted,' the Pawn nodded.

 'You could make something for her with a hair of yours,' the Prince reluctantly said, 'I noticed that can establish a mental link as well.'

 'Thanks for the tip…'

 "Janus, thank God you're here!" a nurse called, grabbed his arm and hurriedly dragged him down the corridor into the hospital wing, "just do what you can here and then tend to the king, alright?"

    He almost lost his balance completely of sheer surprise; so deeply within his own thoughts that he hadn't seen the woman in white coming.

    Now he stood on the balcony above the healing quarters, and his hand came to his forehead.

 "Good grief…"

    Rewind and erase that "several hours". He'd be lucky if he got any sleep at all the coming night. Lai hadn't been lying when she said "hundreds of wounded". The battle to hold the Zenan bridge had been a very bloody one.

 'I should have been here, damn it all…'

 'No, your duty was to find the blade,' the Prince sharply said, 'now stop altering the past and get to work.'

 'Very well.'

    Many looked up in relief as they heard the familiar chanting. Standing on the stair down to the bed area with his eyes closed, Janus stretched out his arms in either direction while calling upon the healing powers of Water. From his palms glistening stars stormed, spreading over the room like a divine rain. For the first time that night.

 "… Sela… ugh…"

 "For heaven's sake, get some sleep, Janus," Leene concernedly said, "how long have you been up now?"

 "Since yesterday," he grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose, "it _is_ Thursday now, isn't it?"

 "Yes, since four hours," the queen said and shook her head, "you've done enough for yesterday and today."

 "I agree," her husband said after coughing to clear his throat, "I'll be fine now, so I command you to rest."

    The wizard tried to smile a bit.

 "Yes, my liege."

    When he attempted to leave the room he stumbled, but one of the servants attending the wounded king hurriedly gave the wizard support to the door and into the corridor. The two men got about ten steps before a familiar voice resolutely informed that she'd handle the workaholic. Rather relived that he didn't have to support the wizard all the way to his room the servant handed the heavy arm to one of the most respected women of the land.

 "Morning, Lai," Janus grunted.

 "Just shut up, sweetheart."

 "Yes milady."

 'Quit smirking at the look on my face,' the Prince grunted.

 'But it's almost better than Lavos' look as he finally died,' the Pawn said with a chuckle.

    Janus was too exhausted to even sneer.

    Lai eventually kicked the door to his room open and helped him over to the bed, were he literally crashed. But even so, she didn't leave him like that.

    She sat down on his bedside, glaring at him through her own fatigue.

 "I heard you talk with Crono and Robo," she poisonously said, "are you going to attack the Mystics' lair, alone?"

 "Can we take this when we're both less dying of exhaust?" Janus grunted without opening his eyes.

 "No, because I'm afraid that you'll be gone again when I wake up," she coldly replied.

    Janus' eyelids reluctantly went up and he met his bitter disciple's eyes. After a moment she looked away, crossing her arms.

 "You might get killed," she pointed out, "I won't be able to come over and save your neck when you're that far away."

 "I'll be fine, others will be with me," Janus muttered, "you don't have to worry."

    Somehow he managed to sit up and put a hand on her shoulder.

 "Lai, I always told you I wouldn't be around forever. I have to save my sister and defeat Lavos, you know that."

 "I don't have to like it just because I know!" she snapped, but didn't push his hand away.

    Janus tiredly shook his head.

 "I trust you to help Frog protect the kingdom when I've left," he said, "why do you think I told you everything? You're the only one who knows the full story, and the only one who knows that I will leave here."

    No reply.

 "I won't be gone forever."

 "You better not…" Lai finally muttered.

    She looked around and reached out to gently push him back down.

 "Get some sleep now, or you definitely won't stand a chance, sweetheart," she said with choked resentment.

 "Alright, but I won't sneak away again…" Janus mumbled and closed his eyes again.

 "Why did you, anyway?" she asked, sharp again.

 "I trust you to protect the kingdom, you know…"

    And with that the royal wizard fell asleep. Lai glared at him for a moment longer.

 "I hate you," she finally stated to thin air and slammed her fist into the mattress, "I hate to know…"

 'Oh great…' the Prince muttered under his breath, sighing deeply. 

    Not sarcastically, but with reluctant empathy. Many things he denied caring about, but loss he understood. And the Pawn understood, not saying anything.

    It was too late to let it get out of hand, at least in the young woman's view.

 "I hate you Janus…" she muttered again, not aware that two spirits watched her as she bent down over her teacher.

    The wizard's sleep was too deep; he didn't feel the light kiss.

 "But I can't help that I love you, still."

    Lai's hands clenched on Janus' shoulders and she collapsed beside him, completely out of strength after the intense hours of fighting and handling wounded. Bitter tears fell into the pillow just beside the wizard's head, but the woman was too tired to care about such a disgrace. And also too tired to even attempt moving away. She fell asleep right there by her hated and loved instructor.


	8. Call of the black wind

And now, time to start moving out! I mean, with this Janus with them, how can the Mystics possibly stand a chance?!  
  
Rrright.

Chapter 8, Painful twist 

 "We're almost there, hang on for a while longer," Janus said over his shoulder.

 Great, just when I was starting to get used to it… Crono grunted, hanging onto his horse the best he could.

 "At least I was right about the monsters being calm for the moment."

    Crono nodded. He hadn't ever been riding before and gotten a quick lesson back at the castle before he and Janus left on a horse each, bringing one extra with them for Frog. The Masamune was safely held in place on Crono's back, resting in a simple sheath that Melchior had had to spare for it. 

    Because of Janus' guess that the Mystics would need time to recover after the failed attack at the Zenan bridge, they had decided to move out as quickly as possible not to waste this possible weakness. During the trip southeast Crono had silently wished for a little more practice in handling the art of traveling on the back of a horse, though. 

    But as the wizard said, at least they hadn't been attacked. All seemed uncharacteristically peaceful.

 'Just makes me more worried…' Janus grimly thought.

 'Indeed,' his teacher muttered.

Pain, shame, defeat, sacrifice, pain… beware, prince! Beware…

    All three of the blue-hairs clenched their jaws. The black wind had been howling throughout the entire journey, from the moment the wizard walked down the stair of the castle.

 'I have a feeling this could get ugly…' the youngest thought.

 'Yes, but it shouldn't,' the Prince said with a frown, 'in our time streams there were no greater troubles beating Ozzie, Flea and Slash…'

Sacrifice… defeat…

 Janus? Crono nearly shouted.

 "Huh?"

    The wizard looked around again.

 "Sorry, I was in my own thoughts," he said, "you were saying?"

 Well, I was wondering about yesterday… Crono carefully said.

 "What about it?"

 Um, well… why did Slash call you Magus all the time? It seemed to make you quite angry.

    Janus looked forwards for a moment before turning his head once more.

 "That's simply something between me and the Mystics," he calmly said, "many years ago, when I was still a child I got captured by them and they wanted to enslave me under the name Magus, but I was saved by a man that also taught me magic."

 You were? Who then?

 "He's not here anymore. He saved me, brought me to the castle and gave me a few lessons in my powers. Then he left. And there's the cursed woods now."

    Crono caught the message and didn't ask anything more. About twenty minutes later the two men reached the brink of the forest and tied the three horses to a tree. Janus cast a protecting spell to keep possible monsters away, then the warriors went into the world of leaves and trunks.

Beware, prince…

    Janus walked a few steps before he realized that that was the last thing that the black wind had said.

 'Strange…' he commented the silence.

 'Very,' the Prince agreed, 'but we better stay alert.'

 'Yes.'

    Soon they reached the clearing in the middle of the small forest, crossed it and worked their way past the small bush hiding Frog's entrance "door".

 "Hey, nice to see you!" Marle called and stood up from the chair she had been sitting on.

 "Good afternoon," Frog merely muttered, remaining on his seat.

 "And the same to you," Janus said, holding back a sigh.

 We've got the Masamune, Crono announced.

    Now that startled Frog.

 "What?!" he croaked and leaped off his chair.

    Apparently he hadn't really believed what Janus had told him earlier.

    Crono reached the floor and freed the blade from his back.

 "We need your help now," Janus grimly said, "you are the best broadsword warrior in the kingdom."

    After a moment of staring at the blade Frog shook his head.

 "Nay," he bitterly said, "I canst not help thee. I failed to protect the queen, and besides that I cannot dream of wielding the weapon belonging to Cyrus."

 "He'd want you to keep fighting when he couldn't and you know that," Janus said, keeping his voice calm.

 "I cannot fight, not after my failing," Frog sternly said.

 We could really use your help! Crono tried, we wouldn't have been able to save the queen at all if we hadn't worked together.

 "Yes," Janus nodded, "and now we need to strike the Mystics, while they're still vulnerable. Don't you see?"

 "I see that thou dost not need me," Frog said in a poisonous voice, crossing his arms and staring at the wall, "please be on thy way."

 "Glenn, get a grip of yourself!" Janus sharply said.

    Frog looked away.

 "We need to kill Flea in order to reverse your curse, don't you want to help with that?"

    No reply.

 "Frog, please listen…" Marle helplessly said after a moment of hesitation.

 "I canst not…"

    But before any of them could continue, there suddenly was a ritsching sound from above and sunlight flowed through the hole in the roof since the bush had been torn away.

 "Janus, come out and fight!" a sharp, screeching voice shouted.

 "For heaven's sake, I've had my assassin for this month!" the wizard shouted back, frustrated.

 'It's the grasshopper again,' the Pawn sighed.

 'Sturdy fellow…'

 'Very.'

 "One moment," Janus grunted to his friends, ran over to the ladder up and jumped.

    He dashed out of the hole with his staff in hand and glared at the waiting mantis.

 "I haven't got time for this, so make it quick!" the wizard coldly said.

    The mantis attacked. Janus parried and countered.

    Marle, Crono and Frog climbed out of the hole to watch the combatants dance around in the clearing, almost too fast for the eye to catch. 

 "See there," Frog bitterly said, "with Janus by thy side, why dost thee need me?"

 "Glenn, will you stop being so stubborn?!" the wizard shouted and ducked at the same time as he sent out his staff in a wide swing with one hand and arm.

 "I hath no right to battle after what I hath done!"

 "It wasn't your fault! No one's perfect!"

 "Nay!" Frog shouted while the wizard leaped out of the way for a thick, sticky thread from his foe's mouth.

 "Now you list… gh!"

Defeat, shame… beware…

    Janus stumbled aside, for him it could pass as very clumsy. Still he avoided the monster's blades, even though it was close this time.

 "What is it?!" the three watchers called, nearly simultaneously.

 "Dammit…"

    Janus leaped aside, pressing one hand against his forehead.

 "The black wind howls…" he grunted and ducked again.

 Pain… sacrifice…

 "The what?" Marle asked, blankly.

 "It doesn't matter…" 

    Janus shook his head to clear it after the violent slam of bad omens. It had returned so suddenly that he nearly had lost his orientation for a moment. Now he straightened up and glared at the mantis, ready for battle again. There was no time to be confused or worried.

 "The only thing that matters is that we're going to need you whatever you may think, Glenn!" Janus snarled and attacked.

    The mantis ducked out of the way of the staff.

 "Nay!" Frog stubbornly stated, "'tis nary a thing I can do!"

 "Look, we…"

 Sacrifice…

    Janus' eyes narrowed.

 'Oh no, you're not going to…?!' the Prince shouted.

 "Very well, I guess I'll just have to do something melodramatical to talk you into it!" the wizard snarled.

    The staff left his hand and disappeared somewhere among the trees and bushes.

 'Stop!' the Pawn roared.

    But there was no reply.

 "What are you doing?!" Marle, Crono and Frog shouted in surprised shock.

    Janus pursed his mouth and crossed his wrists, holding them up for the perplexed mantis.

 "I give up," the wizard calmly said, "take me to Ozzie."

 "Wha!?" the humans screeched.

    But the mantis awoke from the surprise quickly and not being one to question that offer spat out another thick string that snaked itself around Janus' wrists in the blink of an eye. And just as fast another one for his ankles. The wizard swayed, but before he had time to fall the monster's claw feet dug into his upper arms and they both zoomed up above the treetops. 

 "Janus!!"

    The three left on the ground ran a few steps forward, forgetting that their friend and foe was completely out of reach. 

 "Now what, Glenn?!" Janus shouted through a violent grimace of pain.

    Before there was time for any more talking the mantis had turned to the northeast and bolted away above the forest.

    Very few heard the smacks as the Pawn and the Prince nearly caved their own heads in when slapping their foreheads.

    For a moment Crono, Marle and Frog stood frozen in shock, their jaws dropped. Then:

 "Damnation, Janus!"

    Frog dived down his entrance hole and returned a few moments later with the Masamune by his belt.

 "I take it you're coming…?" Marle said in a rather weak voice.

 "Indeed," Frog snarled, "for I shalt kill him for that!"

 'Not if I kill him before that!' the Prince snarled as the two spirits dashed after their mirror.

 'Oh no, you don't!' the Pawn growled, 'as his teacher I've got the right to do it first!'

 'Let's team up with Frog and do it...'

 'Good idea.'

    The two guardians clenched their teeth and doubled their speed to reach the flying two. The beast was insanely fast.

'Are you crazy!?' the Pawn shouted as they reached Janus again, 'I should...'

 'It was you who said that we really needed Glenn,' the wizard countered, still grimacing over his bleeding arms.

    Healing himself with the mantis' claws still within his flesh wouldn't be a good idea...

 'Not this badly!'

 'It would have taken hours to convince him, if we'd ever manage. I'll be fine.'

 'Oh really? I saved you from this, you full-fledged idiot!'

 'Too late now, isn't it?'

    The two warlocks exchanged glances and groaned, shaking their heads.

    And the mantis flew on, towards the lair of the Mystics.


	9. The archenemies meet

Chapter 9, The archenemies meet

Flea was standing by his desk in the middle of his "office", muttering to himself as he scratched dark lead from a sharp pencil over a paper. Surely over a hundred pieces of papers were spread across the table, carrying more or less finished sketches of likewise more or less possible new assassins. 

    At this rate, thinking of new beasts to send at the accursed royal wizard was more a hobby than an obsession.

    The magician didn't look around as he heard one of the high windows open and slam into the wall.

 "You're back?" he just said, tapping the pencil against his lower lip as he pondered the arms of the peculiar creature on the paper he held.

    Lizard-beings had proved interesting before, but maybe five arms would make it too hard for it to keep its balance…?

 "Yes master Flea, I…" the mantis began.

    On a side note, that m-word combined with the name made both the Prince and the Pawn cringe with shared memories. 

 "Wow, you must be the first one in, what, two years or so who's been able to come back and still talk…" the cross dresser/body absentmindedly interrupted.

 "Master…" the mantis growled, irritated.

 "Yeah, yeah. I'll have your new body ready in…"

    Janus crashed on the desk with a snarl, sending most of the drawings flying across the entire room.

    The sketching pad and the pen fell out of Flea's hands.

 "Now that was uncalled for," the wizard dryly said, sending the mantis a frosty scowl before he turned to coldly meet his archenemy's rather shocked stare.

    It took Flea a moment to recover enough for turning to the grasshopper and cutely just bend his wrist with the pointing finger stretched to point at the surprise guest.

 "You caught him?" the magician said in a slightly high-pitched voice.

 "That's rather obvious, isn't it?" Janus said with sarcasm dribbling from his voice, before the grasshopper could comment.

 'Will you stop trying to cut our link?' the Prince growled to his mind, 'it's bad enough that you tried to throw us out of your mind before!'

 'Yes, we're not leaving you alone here!' the Pawn furiously agreed.

 'I don't feel you need to see this, neither do I wish you to,' Janus replied rather frostily, 'please go and subconsciously help Glenn and the others find the way instead.'

 'We're not leaving you here!' 

    It was the Prince who sharply said that, not the teacher repeating himself. Janus nearly, nearly smiled a bit at that fact. But he was too frustrated.

 'You know what the black wind said! I don't want you to watch, you don't have to!' 

 'We're not going to allow this!' the Pawn snarled.

 'And what can you do? You're only here as spirits and it would take you a long time to get here with your bodies! And you can't teleport here since the memory you have is too old, isn't it?'

    The warlocks exchanged glances again, their red eyes growing thin. The teleportation spell might not work on such old memories, no, and none of them were sure if it would be safe to use it for a place only visited in spirit. In full honestly that magic was not among the least dangerous ones; if something went wrong one could be thrown anywhere.

    The silent conversation took merely a couple of seconds since it was entirely held with thoughts. That was all Flea needed to regain his composure.

 "How very interesting…" he said, leaning his chin in a circle of thumb and pointing finger.

    Janus said nothing, but didn't turn his eyes away either.

 "Well, this is simply wonderful!" the magician cheerfully said and gave the mantis a lovely smile, "be a dear and tell everyone to assemble in the throne room, and send a couple of goblins here."

 "Oh please," Janus dryly said, turning his bound legs over the edge of the table so that he could sit a bit more properly, "can't you think of anything better than goblins for dragging me to the ground before Ozzie's fat feet?"

 'I can't believe I just said that…'

 'Well, we're three on that matter…' his old teacher absentmindedly grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose as he furiously tried to think of some way of saving his student from the fate he had chosen.

    The mantis just glared, but Flea covered his smile with one hand.

 "Oh, but cutie," he said, "to name a few I'm afraid that free lancers and skeletons aren't strong enough to hold you back, imps are too small and your older assassins would probably kill you at the first chance they get. And we can't have that, can we?"

 "Perhaps. But after all this time as enemies, all you're going to give me are goblins?" Janus sarcastically said, "I am disappointed."

 "So sorry, sweetheart."

    Janus' cold glare turned almost literally deadly.

 "Don't you call me sweetheart, Flea," he said in a dangerous voice, "I warn you."

 "Touchy, are we?"

 "Yes, we are."

 "How vulgar!"

    Flea shook his head and turned to the mantis again.

 "Go and fetch everyone, dear," he smirked, "and make it clear that I'd appreciate if they wait for me."

 "Yes master."

    The thin creature zoomed over to the door, opened it, went through and closed it again.

 "You know, I think there's something fishy about this," the magician stated while turning around, tilting his head.

 "Oh really?" Janus replied, emotionlessly.

 "It just seems strange to me that my grasshopper there would have been able to capture you, and with so few wounds."

 "Ah yes. Do you mind if I heal myself?" Janus dryly said, motioning at his torn, bloodied sleeves, "I have a feeling that I'll be bleeding more than this in a while and these have been stinging for half an hour."

 "Sure, go ahead cutie," Flea said with a sneer.

 'Something's wrong,' the Prince grimly warned, 'he should have been clawing your eyes out by now, it's not like him to share anything with the others.'

 'Can you read his mind?' Janus thought, holding back a frown as he tried to concentrate on the spell.

 'No, he'll sense us and in this state we can't risk that he manage to ban us back to our bodies and time streams,' was the third one's dark reply.

 'Better be ready for anything, then…'

    The magician reached out to shuffle some of the many papers left on the desk around while Janus muttered his healing spell through clenched teeth.

 "You know…" the Mystic said with a ironic smile, "this is going to wreck my life. Now what will I do twenty-three hours a day if not planning on killing you?"

 "I hear going to Hell is pretty popular this time of the year."

 "Such foul language…"

    Janus just rolled his eyes then. With a sigh Flea dropped some of the papers on the floor, until one caught his attention and he smirked a bit.

 "Remember this one?" he said and held up the drawing.

    The beast on it was only partly humanoid, looked mostly like a cross between wolf, human and skeleton with its thin body, fur, protruding nose and long ears.

 "My face does," Janus tiredly said and pointed at his scar, without moving his tied up hands from his lap, "I never understood why you were so obsessed with skeletons."

 "Well, you always seemed to hate them, sweetheart."

 "Don't call me sweetheart."

 "Oops," Flea said and mocked an apologizing look with wide eyes and stupid smile.

 'I don't know about the two of you, but he's starting to make me nervous,' the Pawn said through clenched teeth.

 'Agreed,' the Mystic's former king muttered, 'he's stalling something.'

 'Now you're all making me even tenser…' Janus grunted.

 "A piece of nostalgia, this one," Flea said and threw the drawing over his shoulder like a piece of trash, "that was, what, five, six years ago? You were really exploding with growing power at the time."

 "Are you planning to remember me to death before your friends have assembled?" the wizard sardonically asked, "I'm sorry but I don't see where you are going."

 "I'm getting there, cutie."

    Janus rolled his eyes.

 'The temptation to tear myself free and break every bone in his body is getting a bit too strong,' he growled, 'damn Glenn for just having to prove himself…'

 'I suppose this is what the black wind meant with "shame",' the Pawn muttered.

 'Hmm…'

    The oldest spirit carried a deep frown, glaring at the thin air behind Janus.

 'What is it?' the former slave asked, his eyes narrowing at the same spot.

 'I do hope that this surge isn't what I think it is…' the Prince hissed, 'don't look, there's nothing there.'

 'What is it?' Janus said with apparent tension in his voice, 'I don't feel anything.'

 'I think we're about to find out why the people of Guardia suddenly knew that the Masamune was so dangerous to the Prince of Darkness,' the one mentioned growled, 'take this spell, I think you'll need it…'

 "Alright, alright," Flea said with a chuckle, "don't give me that look, I'll get to the point."

    Janus said nothing, trying to concentrate on getting a hold of the new power that the Prince was attempting to hurriedly copy from his own mind to the younger one's.

 "One day those years ago something pretty strange occurred, you see," Flea said, crossing his arms with a smirk, "I suppose you did notice that your assassins suddenly got better again, since you still have a few marks from that."

 "So it might be."

    Janus had to strain himself to keep his voice calm now. He wasn't sure what the two spirits could sense better, or rather what they believed that they perhaps sensed, but it wasn't getting him and neither them into a better mood.

 "You're cute when you're feeling tense," the magician sneered.

 "Will you get to the bloody point, Flea?" the wizard shot back.

 "Tsk, tsk…"

    Flea waved with a pointing finger, shaking his head.

 "What kind of language is that for a prince?" he said.

    Very slowly Janus let out a deep breath before he spoke.

 "Did Lavos tell you that?"

 "Lavos?" Flea said and laughed, "Janus my dear, I'm evil, not insane enough to meddle which such powers."

 'I swear, next time I die I'm going to kill him!' the Prince roared.

 'He's alive?!' the Pawn shouted in rage.

 "Then I suppose," Janus said in quite a peculiar voice, "that if I turn around now I'll see my own father again."

 "Quite right," Dalton said, smirking.


	10. Loosing, prevailing and facing the enemy

Chapter 10, Father and son

 "But tell me," the one eyed man behind Janus' back continued, "how did you guess with so few clues?"

 "Oh, the air began to reek even more and besides that the fairies in my head are boiling mad," the wizard replied, still without turning around.

    There was a silence within his mind for a moment as well.

 'I'm not hearing this…' the Pawn finally muttered.

 'I really should just let them have you,' the Prince grunted, but there was an almost invisible stitch of reluctant amusement in his voice. 

 "Well, you have to be crazy to end up here…" Flea said and shook his head with a smirk.

 "And what exactly are you doing here?" Janus said to thin air.

    He won as much as making Dalton walk around him so that they came face to face, since the wizard refused to turn his head. 

 "I have to look out for my own son, don't I?" the blond one sneered.

 'I should have known, he said he watched what happened to Cyrus and Glenn…' the Prince snarled, 'and he knew about the dreamstone being Light-based!'

    For a thought's moment he gritted his teeth until he managed to get himself together again.

 'That doesn't matter right now,' he growled, 'do you understand the spell?' 

 'No problem… my original plan will just have to go after this turn of events,' Janus muttered.

 'You had a plan?' the Pawn dryly asked.

 'Letting Frog and the others save me, yes.'

 'I suppose that could pass as a plan. Bad, but it's a plan…'

 'However, Dalton brings too much danger for sticking to that one any more.'

 'Just chase him away,' the Prince warned, 'you'll actually need him later, so don't kill him yet.'

 'I'll… take your word for that.'

 "That's thoughtful of you," Janus dryly said aloud, "had fun trying to see to that I died?"

 "Oh, it's been amusing alright, hasn't it, Flea?"

    The magician shrugged.

 "It's really funny now, I must say," he sneered.

 "Ah, well…"

    Janus gave a small, cold smile.

 "How about firing things up a little, then?" he said and tore himself free from the sticky ropes with one single powerful tear with arms and legs. 

    White flakes were still falling all over the room as the wizard's feet hit the floor on the other side of the desk, a wicked grin on his face. Dalton and Flea moved into defensive stances, their eyes narrowing.

 "What, didn't you expect more from me?" Janus sneered.

    His hand flashed out before him, the fingers painting a line of fire in thin air. The flames flashed as Janus grabbed them, turning into his staff with the blades released.

 'Worked perfectly,' he concluded to the Prince, who grimly nodded.

 "This should prove interesting," Dalton said and cracked his knuckles, suddenly smirking again after he had swallowed the surprise, "let's try a new spell of mine, shall we?"

 'Damn it! Jump!' the Prince roared.

    Janus obeyed blindly by the overwhelming power in that command, just barely escaping two red, glowing tentacles that exploded from the ground by his feet. He landed and leaped again, fleeing from the next pair. 

    Following the movements of Dalton's hands the trunks rushed over the floor, persuading the wizard.

 'If you get caught you're done for, understand?' the oldest of the three warlock's snarled, 'those are unbreakable, only the caster's death will dissolve them.'

 'Wonderful.'

 "I must say, you've become one extraordinary acrobat," Dalton sneered as Janus swiftly escaped one narrow situation after another.

 "So you say?" the wizard snarled and threw out his hand, "ta keich sanea wyh!"

 "Twandor!" Dalton countered and threw up his hands, a golden magical shield smashing the two big chunks of ice.

    But the one eyed man froze in shock as he found a sharp blade at the end of a staff dashing towards him behind the dissolving magic.

 "Catch!" Flea shouted, throwing his hands forwards.

 "Argh!"

    Lightning bolts burned through Janus' shirt, and caught in midair he fell to the floor. The magic wasn't enough to do more than singe him; Flea didn't want him dead just yet.

 'Get up!' the two watching spirits shouted, both knowing it was humanly impossible to escape in time.

    Janus managed to get onto one knee before the first tentacle encircled his arm and violently tore him onto his back, another one snatching his staff. His snarl was cut in half as the red ropes pinned him to the ground and one slammed down over his mouth. Even though he had been informed of the pointlessness he tried to struggle, like the Prince finding that it truly was useless.  

 'There went my double life insurance…' he growled.

 "Much better, thank you for the assistance," Dalton said, smugly dusting off his hands.

 "My pleasure."

    Flea smirked down at Janus' murderous glare for a moment before turning to the other human again.

 "Dead as a rock was the order, cutie?" the monster sneered.

 "And I'd prefer in pieces."

 "How about cooked?"

    Even Dalton cringed a bit at that suggestion, realizing that Flea really meant that literally.

 "Do as you wish," he said after a moment.

 "What, do you think monsters' menus are that apprehensive?" the magician said with amusement.

 "Well, suit yourself," Dalton said and shook his head, "I'll be going."

    He sent Janus a grimace and not a smirk as he raised his hand and muttered a spell. A Gate opened before the blond one.

 "Right, I can't forget…"

    Dalton turned to Flea again, clenched and opened his hand once. From his palm a small, red orb floated. The magician caught it and it melted into his fingers.

 "Can't leave you without keys to the cage, can I?" Dalton said.

 "No, that just would ruin all the fun," Flea said with a sweet smile, "good bye then."

 "Good bye. Have fun."

    And with that Dalton disappeared into the flashing darkness. The Gate closed behind him.

    Flea looked down and raised an eyebrow.

 "Why are you so pale all of a sudden?" he asked.

    Janus didn't hear him.

 'You two were…?!' he was thinking, if thoughts could be hoarse and high pitched at the same time then his was just that.

 'No!' the Pawn sharply said, resolutely shaking his head, 'they fed me with rats and such. Human flesh was for the worthy, so to speak.'

 'Same here, and when I got worthy I was powerful enough to say no,' the Prince growled.

 'Thank the heavens…' Janus grimaced.

 'Agreed.'

 "Hello?"

    Flea waved with a hand above Janus' face and he blinked.

 "Mffm?" he grunted, irritated.

 "Much better, sweetheart."

    Janus growled.

    There was a knock on the door.

 "What'ye want, Flea?" the thick voice of a goblin grunted from the other side of the wood. 

    The magician straightened up with a charming, bloodthirsty smile at the bound wizard.

 "I want you to come in and close the door behind you," he called without removing his now hungry gaze, "less you'll ruin the surprise for everyone."

 'Alright, I know the way through the caves,' the Prince growled, 'I'll go lead Frog and the others here, you stay and keep an eye on him.'

    The Pawn grimly nodded.

 'And pray that the time streams aren't different again,' the oldest warlock added before he zoomed out of the room and castle.

 'I trust in them,' Janus grimly thought, almost like a mantra.

    His teacher nodded.

 'And I think you can do so,' he said, 'they'll doubtlessly get you out of this.'

 'Yes.'

    Janus closed his eyes for a moment, trying to shut out Flea's order to the goblins to close their gaping mouths. He didn't say anything as the tentacles pushed him into sitting and then mostly disappeared, except one that encircled his wrists behind his back. Still nothing except an absentminded growl when the goblins grabbed his arms and tore him into standing, starting to push him towards the door.

    Sometimes it just didn't help with even a voice in your head muttering calming promises.

    This was the worst he'd ever been into, even though the royal wizard had been through a lot of dangerous situations throughout his life. But he'd never felt so caught and helpless ever since he had been a child in training, ever since then he'd always been able to fight for himself.

    Sometimes… there was only one thing that possibly could help.

    He concentrated.

In Guardia castle a young woman stopped dead in her tracks and clutched at the gem hanging in a chain around her neck.

 'Lai, can you hear me?'

 "What's wrong, Lai?" one of the knights standing behind Leene's throne asked in alarm, and the queen stood up from her seat with a worried frown.

 "It's Janus, he's in danger…" the young woman hoarsely said.

 'What makes you think I'm in danger?' Janus' voice said within her head.

 "You only call me when you're in danger, sweetheart," Lai acidly commented, still talking aloud as she was used to with telepathy.

 'I needed that…'

 "What?"

 "What's going on?" Leene worriedly asked.

 'Is the queen there?' Janus wondered, strangely calm.

 "Yes, His Majesty's much better so she's taking care of matters in the throne-room as for today and I was just leaving…" Lai automatically reported, falling silent as she realized she was babbling.

 'Good… then that's all well. How are the other wounded doing?'

 "Janus, I know something's wrong! Where are you?!"

    There was a rare spark of despair in Lai's voice by now.

 'I had some troubles with my latest assassin, but at least Frog, Crono and Marle are on their way to the Mystics,' Janus quickly said, 'nothing to worry about.'

 "You're an awful liar, royal wizard."

 'Lai…'

    There was a pause for a moment.

 'Now listen to me, Lai,' Janus finally continued, 'I have my teacher and also another version of us watching over me, no matter what I'll be fine.'

    Lai was silent.

 "You're in the Mystics' castle, you fool!" she suddenly cried out, causing everyone to jump in shock.

 'Goddammit, Lai…'

 "How could you end up there?!"

 'I said I had some troubles with the assassin.'

 "Some troubles, you say!?"

 "What has he done now?" Leene sharply asked.

 'That hurt,' Janus dryly said, 'I thought you trusted in me.'

 "Not when you go get captured!" Lai snarled.

 'Frog, Crono and Marle are approaching as we speak, they are supposed to take out the Mystics and they will. With or without me.'

 "And what if they don't come in time to save you?"

 'That's why I needed to hear you call me sweetheart again, just in case,' Janus calmly said, but there was a peculiar edge in his voice.

    Lai's free hand covered her eyes.

 "I hate you…"

    Janus' telepathic voice sighed.

 'I'll come back, I promise,' he finally said.

 "Janus, you…"

 'Good luck with everything, Lai.'

 "Wait!"

    But the telepathic link was cut.

    Lai pinched her eyes close and clenched her fist around the fire gem, ignoring the fact that the edges of the flames cut into her skin.

    Fine hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a gentle hug, and Lai let herself lean on queen Leene as she chewed on her lower lip in a hopeless attempt to fight the flaring worries.

 'I just couldn't tell her.'

 'It was probably just as well. She'll suffer less not knowing.'

 'What about the torment of not being sure?'

 'I believe that in this case it'll be easier for her to get over it. She's a strong lady, you know.'

 'Yes, I know…'

    Janus sighed, just letting the goblins push him onwards through the dark corridors without struggling.

 'I knew it would endanger history.'

 'I'm sorry.'

 'And I… there was always a chance that I wouldn't survive, I didn't even know if you made it through or not until now.'

 'I understand.'

 'I never wanted to risk that she'd loose a lover instead of a friend. No matter how much I do love her.'

    The Pawn sadly nodded.

Below the ocean the Prince was grimly watching a wall.

    Frog and his allies were closing in, they had already entered the caves. Quite a show cutting the entrance cliff in half instead of looking for the hidden switch. The amphibian was reaching the self-esteem he needed.

    So far so good.

    Hmm…

 'They'll win at least half an hour if I could destroy this wall,' our original Janus thought, 'but what a joke…'

    He clenched his fists.

    Perhaps he could subconsciously make Frog cleave this cliff as well, but it would be difficult… and this one might be too thick even for the Masamune.

 'And I don't have the power anymore.'

    Calling the Pawn could maybe help, but that spirit didn't know his way through the caves and could have problems finding the spot in time even when following a mental call.

    Bitterly the Prince shook his head.

 'You win again, Lavos…'

    An eyebrow slowly went up.

 'Hmm…'

    His eyes narrowed. Hardly noticing it he took as much a worldly form as possible while he pondered. 

    He was just a spirit now, meaning that his magic wouldn't be even at half power. And as Janus had pointed out fetching the body would take far too long. But now he had materialized as much as he could, and a really forceful spell could be just enough. If he still had any more powerful spells left, that was. The knowledge of chanting wasn't worth anything to him after the past day in his own time stream.

 'Drained of all but low-level magic… but none of my Shadow spells were anything like basic. So, theoretically I can't be Shadow anymore.'

    The thought wasn't exactly illogical, but still it was completely crazy.

 'Molor will bite my head off for doing something so stupid so soon after all that with Lavos.'

    He rolled his eyes and backed away from the wall.

 'I'm too goddamn old to defy my own logic, belief and fate… but I'll be damned if I can't protect that wizard.'

    Sighing and clenching his teeth he raised his hands.

 'Alright, either this works or I'll get blown into pieces. Fun. Here we go…'

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Light!"

    And as he chanted his hands drew the ancient Zealan symbol for Purification in thin air with a softly flashing glow.

    A couple of minutes later three warriors came running through the caves, finding a pathway leading down and one ahead; a big opening encircled by smoking rocks.

 "What's this?" Marle suspiciously asked.

 "Methinks a path was cleared just recently…" Frog said with a frown, "dost thee think 'tis a trap?"

 Maybe we should take the other way, Crono suggested.

 'Oh no you don't!'

 "You just wouldn't dare," a slightly hoarse voice said.

    The three blinked.

    Leaning against the cracked frame of the opening a blue-haired man swept into existence, half transparent.

 "Janus?" Frog blankly said.

 "Yes and no," the middle-aged man wearing a blood-red cloak said with a twitching, triumphant smile, "I'm sort of what he could have been. Now go on, I took a great risk opening this way so I'd be glad if you would put it to use."

 Err, thanks? Crono said.

 "You're welcome."

    And he disappeared from their view, but watched them pass while invisible. At first they moved rather slowly, still shocked by what they had seen. But soon enough they remembered their mission and sped up again.

    The Prince allowed himself a wide grin and even punched one of the loose rocks, causing it to fall out of the wall.

 'Correction, Lavos,' he triumphantly called out in his thoughts, heard by no one but that didn't matter at all, 'we win again!'

    At least so much. 

    But the black wind hadn't yet warned for death either, on the other hand.

 "And what in Lardon's name is Flea thinking?!" Ozzie snarled, rubbing his fat forehead.

 "For once we agree…" Slash grunted, pressing one hand against an ear with a grimace.

    The sound level in the throne-room was almost unbearable. Monsters fought hard to never assemble in this large groups in such a small area. Most of them wanted to have a space of at least two feet from everyone else, and as they were packed in the - given; big - room that wasn't exactly possible.

    Not able to take it any longer Ozzie made a good attempt - considering the shape of his body - to rush from the throne.

 "Shut up!" he roared and actually got attention, "I don't know what Flea is doing either but I want you all to wait for him! I won't hear another screech, roar or any other sound, understand?!"

    Yep, they understood. For three whole seconds.

    With a grunt Ozzie fell back on his seat; a disturbing sight many would try to avoid. Slash failed to escape this time and turned away, furiously rubbing his forehead to calm his stomach.

    Finally Flea teleported in, gracefully landing on the stair leading up to the throne.

 "Alright, what bloody is it?!" Ozzie snapped before the magician even had time to open his mouth.

 "My, aren't we impatient?" Flea sweetly said.

 "No, we're going deaf!"

 "You're no fun. But very well."

    Flea turned to the swaying ocean of bodies on the lower grounds and raised a hand.

 "Oh, crap…" Slash moaned and violently pressed both hands against his ears.

    The magician placed two fingers between his lips and whistled. The sound zick-zacked right through everything else and the whole army looked up with pained expressions.

 "Alright boys and girls, I want you to make a nice aisle to the door," Flea said with a lovely smile, "can you do that for me?"

    Fearing another whistle the monsters did their best and managed fairly well.

 "Just what are you doing?" Ozzie grunted, hitting his own head with his hand to regain senses after the horrible sound.

    Flea didn't reply, just waved with a hand. From the sea of monsters a seven feet mantis flew, stopping perfectly still in the air before the magician.

 "This is Janus' latest assassin," the pink-skinned one softly announced, "do remember his face."

 "What?" Slash tiredly sighed.

 "Party pooper."

    Flea looked at the mantis and winked with one eye. The beast nodded and zoomed over to the double gates. Without effort his claw feet tore up the two massive doors.

    Just for once the entire castle turned completely silent, and hundreds of mouths fell open.

 "What's the big deal, I am walking!" Janus snarled over his shoulder at the widely grinning goblins.

    They tried to throw him on the floor before the stair going up to the throne, but despite the fact that he stumbled and swayed he managed to keep his balance. Almost as if an invisible force supported him.

 "Understand now, my dear Ozzie?" Flea smirked.

 "Very much so…"

    The fat, green monster stood up and sneered down at the coldly glaring wizard. Janus' concentration was a little split however, due to the metallic tip being pressed against the underside of his jaw.

 "Delighted to see you again, wizard…" Slash hissed.

 "Oh no, no, no," Flea said and waved with a finger, "please, my friend, restrain yourself."

    The purple monster glared at his companions.

 "Don't tell me you don't want to kill him immediately?" the sword master sighed.

 "Why should we, doesn't he deserve better after all we've been through together?" the magician pointed out, tilting his head with a cruel glistening in his eyes.

 "I couldn't agree more," Ozzie hungrily nodded.

 "When will you two start listening to me?" Slash sighed.

 "Lighten up, cutie!" Flea said and looked at the goblins, "now, shall we take our guest somewhere more cozy? The dungeons sound fine to me."

    Janus didn't say a word as rough hands grabbed his arms again, but behind his back his chained fingers twitched like pained snakes.


	11. It's the fate of Schala's brother

Chapter 11, Attack

 The Prince's spirit rushed through stone, water, gates and walls to meet the Pawn on the stairs in the entrance hall of the dark castle.

 'Where is he?!' the oldest demanded.

    Silently the one who had been enslaved pointed at the floor.

    Almost as if on demand there was a distant, disgusting slam and a scream. 

    The two warlocks cringed, their hands clenching into shaking fists.

 'Frog will be here any minute, I'll go protect our friend and try to win some more time,' the Prince snarled, 'do you know the secret pass way from Flea's room to the dungeons?'

 'It's in Slash's room as I remember it,' the Pawn said.

    They exchanged tired glances and shook their heads.

    Time streams be cursed!

 'I'll just take them to that room and make them destroy the wall,' the younger one grunted.

 'Do that.'

    The Prince began to descend through the floor.

 'But what if Flea manage to ban you?' the Pawn pointed out, warningly.

    The oldest Janus shook his head.

 'I'll take that risk, and if so I'll find a way back again.'

 'It should be me, you know. He's my student.' 

    The Prince gave a joyless smile.

 'Don't forget I was inside of your head the whole time. Besides you fought for him the last time, it's my turn and I need to repay your help for earlier.'

    He disappeared through the carpets and stone.

    And the main gate smashed open. With a grim nod the Pawn of the Mystics began to turn his spirit fully visible.

Janus just let out a weak, shivering groan as the cold Slasher touched his torn, bloodied chest.

 "Think his precious king would like his heart?" Slash smirked.

 "Heart? That's so old-fashioned!" Flea loudly protested.

 "Alright, alright…"

    The royal wizard clamped his teeth against a hiss while the sharp tip teased his burning flesh that normally should be protecting his ribs better. On the floor at least one foot below him drops of blood and sweat mixed.

 "I'm not that good at human biology," the bald monster said, with a sadistic smirk watching Janus' grimace, "is the liver important?"

    For the first time in a while words that could be understood left the wizard's lips.

 "I happen to like all of my insides," he growled though his voice was stuttering and swaying, "so I'd be happy if you'd keep all your grubby hands, swords and imps off them."

    Behind Slash's back one of the goblins raised his whip with a questioning look, but Ozzie waved at him to let the purple swordsman handle the situation.

 "You're one to talk, royal wizard," Slash calmly commented.

    Janus' exhausted eyes suddenly sparkled with a tired relief.

 "Maybe…" he hoarsely croaked.

    A blade flashed through the dark air and the Slasher made a flight as its owner had no chance to be prepared for it. With a surprised growl shared with every other monster in the dungeon Slash leaped backwards.

 "Good evening," the Prince of Darkness coldly said, skilled hands changing grip of his scythe again.

 "Not another one!" Ozzie snarled.

 "Hold it you idiots!" Flea growled as several of the monsters moved into attacking poses, "it's only a spirit!"

 "Oh really?" was Slash's dry comment, "I suppose I just accidentally threw away my own weapon, then?"

 "It's a question of pouring your will into a physical form," the middle-aged Janus informed with a sneer, "a bit troublesome to master but not impossible. Isn't that so, Flea?"

 "You're not the one who escaped with Janus all those years ago, are you?" the magician replied, grimly eying the warrior. 

    The free blue-haired man smirked a bit.

 "For the sake of keeping it simple, no I am not. Would a slave of yours wield Lizard's weapon, my generals?"

    Before they had time to even start letting that one sunk in the spirit threw out his right hand at the room.

 "Chela ta luon yleqie!" he shouted, sending small, glowing stars towards the hesitating monsters.

    These stars were not for healing. Flea, Slash and a few others managed to duck, Ozzie stood behind a slow goblin and escaped, but many got hit and yelped. It wasn't more than a bee's sting since magic couldn't be properly lead through simply a spirit - as earlier pointed out -, but it added to the confusion.

 "I'm not in the mood for this!" Flea angrily stated and raised his hands.

    Black-purple lightning bolts hit the wall as the spirit ducked and moved out of the way with movements similar to a snake.

 "Nice to see we're keeping the shape…" Janus hoarsely muttered with a small triumphant grimace.

 "You just shut up…" 

    The Prince leaped out of the way and sent another storm of stars straightly at Flea, who managed to duck even this time. The goblins behind him had less luck.

 "… And wait for being properly rescued, you idiot," the oldest warlock snarled.

 "You make me miss Lai again…"

 "You're already hanging on a wall…"

    Duck.

 "… Bleeding more than you should…"

    More stars, spin aside.

 "… Don't make yourself seem like a love starved fourteen year old too."

 "Heh… what did I do?" Janus exhaustedly smirked despite the throbbing, flaring pain.

 "I don't even know where to start."

 "We're coming, Janus!"

    Marle's voice pierced the heavy air, like the bolts of her weapon did. In the back of the room there was quite a ruckus going on due to said princess, two swordsmen and yet another spirit.

 "Stalling is a dirty art, but has its bounties," the man with the scythe said with a smirk.

 "Oh dear, oh dear," Ozzie said, floating up a little to see what was happening, "two spirits and three warriors against about two hundred monsters."

 "You know, I really wish you all would stop saying things like that…!" Slash snarled, warily changing grip of the Slasher.

    There was a hissing chuckle. The Prince suspiciously turned to see Janus slowly raise his heavy head, a dangerous glistening in the tired, red eyes.

 "It must be lonely being the only one thinking clearly in this pack, Slash…" the royal wizard whispered in a rasping voice.

    Surge… oh crap.

 "You don't have the power!" the Prince hoarsely shouted.

 "Hah!"

    Janus' whole body exploded with darkness, and the force threw every single monster up against the walls. A lot of them passed out, smacked between the stone and their allies. But the spirits, Frog, Crono and Marle were left unharmed, rather stupidly blinking at the chaos.

 "My mistake," the Prince sighed and watched the wizard smirk triumphantly before his eyes rolled upwards and he lost consciousness due to the agony and power he'd used to help in the battle, "you fool…"

 "Ohh…"

    Flea got up with a snarl, supported by the mantis which in turn was making a dangerously buzzing sound.

 "You'll regret that dearly, boy! Worch crahela krun shar retetack!"

    From the fine hands a Dark Mist flew, a hideous black cloud growing for every feet of air it passed. Straight towards the comatose and bound wizard.

 "Not this again…" the Prince snarled and grudgingly jumped in between the attacking storm of corroding power and Janus.

    His body had nasty memories of that spell, and he had no idea what could happen if his spirit was caught in it. But at this rate he had to do something. He swung his scythe at the dark fog and it backed away, trying to get around him as if it had a mind of its own. A hungry mind. 

 "Na sela uloro worch netal vonodra kchar!"

    The Pawn's chanting was almost too quick to be heard, and in his current form he couldn't do very much. But perhaps it was enough.

    While Frog attacked one of the first monsters to regain its senses, the black and white void swirled into the middle of the room. The controlling spirit clenched his jaw and forcefully made a complicated movement with both his arms.

    The Prince leaped backwards and the white triangle fled the grip of the black one, absorbing the Dark Mist before it got swallowed itself.

    This wave of dark pressure wasn't as powerful as the original, but it still knocked everyone backwards a little. The mantis turned unconscious after a forceful knock into the wall.

    But though it for a moment seemed like a won battle a couple of legless monsters known as sorcerers left the confused, mostly fainted heaps of monsters and sent wave upon wave of healing stars over their comrades. It wasn't enough to awaken more than a couple of dozen of the Mystics, but among the healed were the three leaders.

 "I keep telling you…" Slash grumbled as he stood, "but do you ever listen? No, no, never…"

    He turned his head at the wall were Janus hung, finding two half transparent, blue-haired warriors guarding the man. The swordsman shrugged and turned back to the rest of the room, with an "I don't have the nerve anymore" look about his whole being.

    The two Januses that were awake exchanged glances and nodded, staying put to watch the oncoming battle.

    Your battle, people.

    Crono knocked a rather dizzy purple goblin with a bow aside and parried Slash's attack with his own thin sword. In the next second Frog was at Flea's throat while Marle carefully aimed at the monster that her soon-to-be boyfriend was fighting.

 "They're that good already," the Prince commented, "taking on all three at once."

 "They took on Flea, Slash and me about now, you know," the Pawn said, watching the fight rage on.

    The oldest one gave a dry chuckle.

 "Frog and the others had trouble taking care of them one at the time in my time stream," he said, "on the other hand, then my generals were at full strength and their brainwashed helper didn't suddenly turn against them."

 "True. Hmm?"

    The Pawn suddenly frowned.

 **Ssshhh…**

 BEWARE! 

 "Augh!"

    Even Ozzie and his helpers looked around in surprise as they heard the clanking of a fallen, ghostly weapon and the two shouts.

    The two men with read cloaks were staggering and crouching, pressing their hands against their heads in agony.

 "What is happening to thee?" Frog called.

 "The black wind…" the Pawn hissed.

    He leaned against the wall and glared at his still staggering companion.

 "Can you handle it?" he harshly asked.

 "Good question… I think so…" the older snarled, trying to keep absolutely still as if the slightest movement would cause him to break apart.

 "What in Lardon's name are…" Flea began, but the whole castle suddenly shook and caused everyone to with surprised shouts loose their balance. 

    The walls cracked dangerously.

 "This is very familiar…" the Prince snarled, attempting to straighten up.

 What's going on?! Crono shouted above a second quake.

 "Theoretically, if there is an evil being who loves Shadow energy sucking on the planet's life force underground," the Pawn harshly growled, "and two sets of a man it would die to get in its clutches releases their dark powers…"

 "It should have the same effect as a spell going 'nuega, ziena, zieber, zom, now the chosen time has come'," the Prince snarled, "by the powers, there is a limit to how much of Lavos I can handle in such a short time!"

 "Lavos?!" Crono, Marle and Flea more or less screeched.

 "He's going to wake up on us!" the Prince snarled and rushed through the air.

    Flea wriggled in surprised shock as an almost transparent, bigger hand caught the pink, fine fingers.

 "Normally I wouldn't do this you cretin," the oldest Janus growled and glared the surprised magician straight in the eyes, "but we need to teleport the Mystics out of here, understand?!"

 "B-but… what?!" Flea stammered, naturally dumbfounded.

    There was a second shake and of the creatures with bodies present only the female looking one could keep his balance because of the suddenly two warlocks holding his hands.

 "This is a one timer," the Pawn snarled, hooking up his free hand with his older mirror's, "get those red things off Janus and we'll give you enough power to teleport your people out."

 "What art thee doing?!" Frog called in distrust.

 "Lavos is awakening, a huge Gate will open any second!" the one who had led the Mystics snarled, "and having Mystics thrown through that will be a catastrophe for everyone!"

    He turned to the still stunned Flea again.

 "Do it, you fool. For Lizard and Magician if nothing else!"

    A third shake. 

    There was a dark sparkle in the air a few feet from Janus…

 Princes! The darkest one is coming! Flee, now!

 "Flea! Let them help or we'll all die!" Ozzie snarled.

 "You're nuts…" 

    Finally the magician closed his eyes and began to mutter, a frown of concentration disrupting his normally smooth forehead. The air sparkled as a dancing light swept around the three magic users, sweeping hair and cloaks around while they all chanted. Golden threads exploded from their chests, creating a glistening spider web of power between them. The swirling light spread across the dungeon and every monster it touched immediately disappeared.

 "Flea, you can't…!" Slash shouted but was gone before he could finish the sentence.

    Apart from the magician, he had been the last one.

    The Pawn, Prince and Flea stumbled as their chanting halted, exhausted by the huge consume of willpower. 

 "Free Janus… now…" the oldest snarled through clenched teeth.

 "Idiots…" 

    There was a thump and Janus limblessly fell to the floor as the tentacles left him. Mere inches from his hand the border of a great flashing darkness pulsated, steadily growing. As the ground shook a fourth time and rocks from the roof began to hit the floor the huge Gate began to quickly develop a gravitation of itself. And a powerful one at that.

    Flea tiredly smirked and tugged his hands free, falling into the last of the teleporting light. He was gone.

 "Janus!" Frog screeched, helplessly seeing his friend being sucked closer to the darkness.

 "He'll be fine, trust me!" the Prince called and zoomed to the fallen wizard's side, "we'll take care of him, you hold on to each other and jump in!" 

 "Are you completely crazy!?" Marle shouted.

 "It's that or being buried alive!" the Pawn snarled and joined his mirror.

 "It should take you back to Ayla's time," the former leader of the Mystics shouted above the increasing wind and crumbling, "you'll be fine! Trust me!"

 We don't have a choice, Crono grimly said with a look at the roof, come on, take my hands!

    He sheathed his sword and reached out. Hesitatingly Frog and Marle put their weapons away and took a hand each.

 See you later, then! the young man called.

 "Dost not allow anything to harm Janus before I hath spoken to him!" Frog growled.

 "Take care…" Marle said, a bit nervously but sternly looking at the center of the darkness.

 "Don't you worry," the Pawn called as the three leaped into the Gate.

    The warriors seemed to spin around the edges of the time portal for a moment before they became vanishing streaks of color within it.

    Another quake, but it didn't matter that much anymore. The gravity had gotten a grip of Janus and he was half floating, half dragged into the Gate.

 "Good point with making Flea teleport," the Pawn commented.

 "Yes. As much as we all hate helping him, we cannot risk sending the Mystics all over history."

 "Exactly. Did this happen to you?"

 "Something similar, it was my battle with Frog, Crono and Lucca that awoke Lavos, combined with my summoning spell," the Prince explained.

 "I'm sorry for this mess, I shouldn't have used Dark Matter."

 "No, it's better this way. At least if it works like it did for me. Lavos won't awake to the fullest, and go back to sleep when our presence leaves."

    The darkness engulfed them and they were sucked through the corridor of unearthly colors. But the two who were awake kept their grips firmly on their friend not to loose him in time.

 "So if it works, where are we going?" the Pawn wondered.

    There was no need for answering that, as the corridor opened up and the three fell out on a grassy field.

 "It worked."

    The Prince's voice was forcefully calm, but there was a bitterness in it that he couldn't hide. His ally glanced around and sighed deeply.

    The field was filled with the most beautiful flowers one could dream of. A small, clear river floated through it from a distant spring. Even further away was a town of white, peculiar houses.

    To the west was a pointy mountain, wearing an even on this distance glamorous and impressive building like a crown. The thing was, the mountain was on another island than the one the tree men was on. And it wasn't water separating the lands, but winds and white clouds.

    It was beautiful, the place of their birth. And oh so painful to see.

    The kingdom of Zeal had a grown prince and his guardians visiting.


	12. Back in Zeal

Ah yes… here we are again.  
  
This chapter is a bit short but I need to press things forward a little.  
  
Jade Dixon has in an earlier review asked about how I construct the magic system. Remember that in Another life Janus counted up a series of words every time somebody used a spell? Well, those words were translations of the chanting, from old Zealan to English. Here are some of my notes for the spells to help you understand them:  
  
Na = (the) power (of).  
  
Cure = Na matala sela, Water = matala, Healing = sela, but sela can also mean purpose or intention.  
  
Magic Wall = kell twandor. Kell = halting, twandor = protection.  
  
Dark Matter = na sela uloro worch netal vonodra kchar. Na = power as I said earlier, sela = here: intention, uluro = substance, worch = evil, vonodra kchar = Shadow/Dark Matter.  
  
Dark Mist = worch crahela krun shar retetack. Worch = evil (duh! ;) ), crahela = cloud, krun = break, shar = corrode, retetack = tear apart.  
  
Ice = keich  
  
Lightning = shetader  
  
Fire = farey (It can mean both fire and flame).  
  
Light = liryla. Stronger Light = lateya.  
  
Shadow = vonodra (can also mean darkness/dark).  
  
I could of course have used Latin for the spells, as I have seen many do. Or Swedish. But I don't know any Latin and Swedish have a few extra letters that some browsers wouldn't be able to handle.

Chapter 12, Back in Zeal 

 "Ugh…"

 "You awake?"

 "Ay… Ayla?"

 "Ayla find you by mountain, all hurt. Carry you here, safe now."

 We fought way too many monsters before we came here…

 "Agh… Janus!?"

 "Yummy frog… for Ayla eat?"

 "P-perish the thought, lass! Where be the blue-haired one?"

 "Ayla only find you. Blue-haired one more tasty?"

 "Sorry Ayla, you can't eat Frog. He's a friend."

 "No matter, got more frogs. You rest now."

    And with that the chief of the Ioka tribe left her hut.

 "Where art we?" Frog confusedly asked, tiredly rubbing the area between his eyes.

 "We're at the start of human history," Marle mumbled, curling up on the furs she was lying on.

 "Pardon?"

 It's a long story… Crono muttered, exhaustedly watching the roof through half open eyes, let's take it later…

 "Very well…"

    Frog sighed and closed his eyes.

 "But where be Janus…?" he bitterly muttered.

 "I'm sure he's alive," Marle said, despite her fatigue trying to comfort her worried friend, "if we survived that trip then so did he."

 "I dost pray for fate to be so kind upon him."

 "Ngh…"

 "Are you back with us now?" a faintly familiar voice said.

    Eyelids weigh a ton each…

 "Define back…" Janus grunted and groaned as he tried to move, getting a reminder of his injuries.

 "You better keep still for a while longer, it'll take me a moment to heal those wounds. What have you been into?"

 "Where…?"

    Janus fought to force his eyes open, but it was literally impossible.

 "Stay put for a while," the voice kindly demanded again.

    It was so familiar… sounded like a man past his middle age.

 'Nice to see you awake,' a more placeable voice said within the wizard's head.

 'What happened?' Janus thought, even slurring a bit when thinking.

 'We got thrown through time, Lavos woke up because of our and Flea's Shadow spells and caused a huge Gate,' the Pawn explained.

 'Woke up in Guardia?!' 

    Janus almost sat straight up in shock.

 'Don't worry, he went back to sleep,' the Prince said, calming the younger man.

 "Does it hurt?" the familiar voice concernedly asked, misunderstanding Janus' sigh of relief.

 "Not that much anymore, thanks," the wizard mumbled.

 "Good to hear."

 'When are we?' Janus wondered.

    For a moment the two spirits were silent. Then the Prince sighed.

 'It's the fourth day of the Sun's month, on the ninth year of queen Zeal's glorious reign,' he said, dryly and bitterly at the same time.

 'What?!'

    Janus' eyes exploded open and he blinked up at a middle-aged man dressed in a blue long jacket over a darkly green shirt. A yellow, smooth piece of cloth was hung over one of his shoulders and also caught by the belt around his waist. He also wore a peculiar hat that matched his jacket and a pair of sunglasses. For the moment he wasn't looking at the man lying in the bed, talking to a short creature with yellow skin and a drop-formed head, dressed in a simple tunic.

 "Go get me the book with blue cover, Doreen, it was a while ago that I used healing magic."

 "At once," the creature said and leaped over to a bookcase in a distant corner.

 'We couldn't leave you out in the field in your state,' the Pawn pointed out, 'so we went and made someone we could trust and who was close enough find you.'

 "Melchior?" Janus hoarsely said.

    The guru of Life looked down and smiled a bit.

 "Don't worry about it, I'll have you healed soon enough. Thank you Doreen."

 "Anytime," the singing female voice said.

    Melchior sat down in a chair beside the wizard's place of rest, starting to turn the pages of the book.

 "Here we are…"

 'I don't think this'll be pleasant…' the Prince warily said, causing Janus to fight not to cringe as he realized what his older possibility meant.

    Melchior put his finger on a line on the page displayed before him. 

 "Great Lavos, lend me thy divine power…"

 'Oh, no…'

 "Nebal na matala tor sela," Melchior chanted.

    Well, it worked like the healing magic the royal wizard used, just very clumsily. Instead of stroking the pain away the stars more squeezed it out along with the man's breath.

 "Sorry, I'm not as used to this as I once was," the guru said and closed the book with an apologizing smile, "and bringing you to the spring of recovery would only earn us a ruckus."

    Janus had to rub his forehead for a moment before he could reply.

 "I see. Thanks."

 'Did he say "cleave the power of water to heal" in the spell?' he bitterly thought.

 'So he did,' the Pawn grunted, 'for once I give one point to my own education and Flea.'

 'We still owe Flea one point for even doing what we asked of him and dissolve the tentacles,' the Prince muttered.

 'I suppose he was either all too tired, confused, dizzy with our loaned strength or just believed Janus wouldn't survive that Gate. Or all of it,' the formerly enslaved one said.

 'Probably.'

 "So, who are you then, and how in the queen's name did you get such wounds?" Melchior concernedly asked.

 "I'm…"

    Janus realized that Melchior's gaze rested upon the strong fingers that had somehow crawled into the wizard's fringe. Or perhaps it was the hair that called for attention. Innovative hair color wasn't exactly unusual in the kingdom of Zeal, but this heaven-blue was the trademark of only one certain family. 

 'Just great…' Janus thought.

 'He'll know in less than a week anyway,' the Prince pointed out, 'because then he'll be on his way to the future.'

 'I second that,' the other warlock gravely nodded.

 'Oh well, you're my teachers…' Janus muttered, only halfway ironic.

 'Why this sudden respect?' the oldest one said with a little amusement.

 'I think I finally hit my head somewhere along the way.'

 'About time.'

    Janus' fingers caught a longer strand of hair and then he raised his hand to hold it up for the guru's thoughtful gaze.

 "I'm prince Janus, Melchior," he calmly said.

 "I was starting to wonder about the hair color, but I do need a better explanation if I'm going to believe you," the guru replied, likewise calm.

 "It's a very long story, and you won't like much of it."

 "Very well, tell me," the guru said and leaned back in his chair.

 "I think that first of all we seriously should discuss Lavos."


	13. You do know that this number doesn't bod...

I reuploaded this chapter because… well, I realized thanks to Jade Dixon that I had been writing _way_ too late at night and had managed a rather silly mistake. Anyway… I need to clear out a couple of things. The certain someone who shows up in the end of the chapter comes straight from the Prince's story (I'll finish that soon enough too). Making this chapter reek of teasers for that one. ;) 

Chapter 13 Unwanted guests 

"So, this is how Lavos came to our world, he's from outer space!" 

    Marle glanced down the cliffs towards the depths of the gigantic crater, nervously scratching her head. The great castle of the reptites was completely erased from the face of the earth.

 "Ayla never see so big falling star!" the cave woman grimly stated.

 Come on, let's go down and see if we can fight it now, while it might be fairly weak, Crono suggested and began carefully walking down a wide crack in the smoking new canyon. 

    The two blond women followed him.

    It took them the better part of an hour to reach the bottom, and there only finding irregular earth and a sea of lava flowing in from the ocean of molten stone surrounding the area. The over-hot flow had already found and corroded its way through the torn mountain. 

    However, the lava wasn't getting any chance to harm the humans as it was on its way down into the depths of the earth, following the reason of the crater deeper down to fill the emptiness of Lavos' traveling.

 It's burying underground, Crono grimly concluded.

    And with the lava flow it was impossible for them to follow. Not even Robo would survive that.

 "No good!" Ayla sourly howled and punched her own palm, "eh?"

 "Where are you going?" Marle called as the hides-clad female took off towards a distant end of the cliff the three had ended up on when reaching as close to the bottom as possible.

    The princess and the swordsman exchanged glances and hurried after her.

    They found the cave-woman investigating something on the ground.

 "What is it, Ayla?" Marle asked and stretched her neck, trying to see past the thick blond locks.

 "Strange thing…"

    Finally the woman moved aside, revealing a dark, flashing orb.

 "Gate!" Marle howled, almost jumping up and down in excitement, "come on, let's go!"

 Roger! Crono grinned and produced the Gate key.

    But Ayla watched the growing darkness with suspicion.

 "It's not dangerous," Marle tried to calm her, "it's a way to some day way after tomorrow, we've tried to explain that."

 'Oh well, or the day way before today…' she thought to herself.

 "Ayla no understand, tomorrow comes tomorrow, no going quicker or come back…" the cave-woman said, "but if Crono and Marle go, Ayla go too."

 "Great! Come on!"

    And they entered the dark tunnel.

    Leaving a large crater behind they stepped out into a small cave. And the first thought after that conclusion was…

 "Brrr! Cold!"

    Quickly they dove back to 65000000 BC and the warmth there.

 "Too cold for Ayla! Sorry Crono!" 

 "We'll need better clothes if we're going there," Marle concluded.

  Alright, let's go to our home time and get the equipment we need.

    Crono grimaced.

 Mom's gonna think I'm crazy when I go look for my winter jacket in the middle of the summer…

 "Guru, open this door!" 

    A strong fist hammered against the wood, impatient. And the owner of the hand seemed rather disappointed as the door did open fairly quickly.

 "I'm so sorry it took so long," Melchior said with an apologizing smile, "I was in the middle of a book. And what can I do for you, lord Dalton?"

 "Nothing for me, but for the queen," the dark blond man said with his typical smirk, "she summons you, immediately."

 "Oh really? Let me just get…"

 "_Immediately_!" Dalton sharply repeated, a smug glistening in his eyes.

    Melchior's eyebrows twitched.

 "Oh dear, is something wrong?" he worriedly said, tilting his head.

 "Her Majesty will tell you that."

 "I see. Let's go then."

    And without further argues the guru of Life was taken away. But in one of his enchanted pockets a dagger was hidden, a fine knife in a strangely reddish metal.

    As Dalton and Melchior left the older man's chambers on the outskirts of Enhasa a robed silhouette followed them for a while, but not longer than to the end of the town. The figure stood in the shadows of the white walls and watched one of the few kindhearted Enlightened ones left and the general. Strong hands clenched into shaking fists.

 'But the one that worked with Flea is from his future, right?' Janus grimly thought, glaring at his father's back.

 'True,' the Prince growled, 'he surely tried to alter history by killing you before you could come to Zeal. Just like he did to me, by spreading the "legend" of the Masamune in my time stream. It must have been him… probably didn't want to risk his own skin. And should I have managed to kill Frog and the others coming to kill me his goal could have been reached in any case.'

 'How on earth did you come to fight alongside with them, anyway?' the Pawn asked.

    Janus silently leaned against the wall while feeling the Prince shake his head and start talking again.

 'When Lavos awoke in the Ocean Palace I attacked him desperately, but I lost. Both Schala and I would have died if it hadn't been for Crono. It wasn't gratefulness, but my realization that I alone didn't have the strength. It all began there but the real change didn't come until later, when Frog helped me find Schala.'

 'Frog help _you_, you say?' the Pawn said with a hint of amusement.

 'Not too willingly, of course.'

    Janus leaned his head back with a frown.

 'What could Crono possibly do against Lavos when you failed?' he asked, puzzled.

    The Prince crossed his arms and resolutely closed his eyes, while the Pawn leaned his cheek in a hand and glared at nothing.

 'What's wrong?' Janus sharply asked.

    After a moment the Prince shook his head again and straightened up.

 'Crono could do nothing except die, that's what he could,' he emotionlessly said, but hurriedly continued, 'however, when seeking the aid of the two other gurus from this era you will find a way to save him.'

    Janus was silent for a moment. Then he slowly took in a deep breath.

 'You damn warriors…' he muttered, 'you keep dying on me all the time.'

 'It's not as bad as people think…'

    The Prince smiled a bit, slanting.

 'Though the greeting committee I got lacked something in quality. It's just too bad one can't strangle a soul.'

    At this point he even chuckled a bit.

 'Ozzie's eyes really can bulge though… dead or not.'

 'What in the name of all powers was _he_ doing where you went?' the Pawn slowly asked.

 'Seems like souls get cleaned when the body dies, no matter what. Besides… everyone there were too afraid of Snake to cause any trouble. With the full right.'

 'Who's Snake?' Janus blankly thought.

    The Prince rolled his eyes.

 'Young man, get some decent sleep so I can pour the story into your mind already.'

 'Easy for you to say.'

 'Of course, I'm sleeping right now as far as everyone else knows.'

 'Snake was Lizard's wife,' the Pawn explained, 'that's about what I know about her.'

 'The stories say little about her personality,' the Prince said with a small smirk, 'I suppose the history writers at the time were in horror as well, didn't dare to describe her too closely.'

 'Sounds like a colorful lady,' Janus said.

 'What you do is you take Lai, add temper like nitroglycerin, impossible speed and claws.'

 'Sounds painful.'

 'Oh, you should have heard Dalton's voice and seen his face when mentioning her...'

 'Dear Lord…'

    Janus shook his head with a joyless smile. Being reminded of Lai was nothing that made his mood any better for the time being…

 'Hmm?'

    He straightened up and glanced towards the distant skyway. The buzz of energy and the light showed that somebody was coming up. Next he saw a hint of purple, a figure much smaller than the two that had left Enhasa via the second skyway a few moments earlier. 

    A heartbeat later a robed figure watched the floating island from a very fine view upon the roof belonging to one of the white towers of the city. 

 'I do remember how I felt when meeting myself,' the royal wizard grimly thought, 'I'll save him it until Schala is present and can support him.'

    The two guardians silently agreed. 

 'That means Crono and the others will be here within three or four hours if I remember correctly…'

 'About that, yes,' the Pawn agreed.

    They watched the young prince Janus enter the city, followed as always by his cat Alfador. From the distance it wasn't possible to properly see the child's face, but the three men didn't really need that sight to know. A cold bitterness and clenched teeth, no interest to spare for anyone but one woman and a cat.

    The unwritten page in the story of the warrior Janus left the grassland for the buildings.

    The man who had experienced a brighter life straightened up, grimly looking towards the palace. Blue hair swirled in the chilly wind, twisting over bandana and past red eyes filled with flashing emotions.

 'Hey, I had almost forgotten how cute you were as a kid,' an all too familiar voice suddenly said.

    Janus nearly fell off the roof with a half-strangled shout of unpleasant surprise, but with more luck than skill he managed to land safely on his knees.

 'Just what the hell are _you_ doing here?!' the Prince and Pawn growled in unison.

 'No use looking at me like that, boys. I just felt like seeing what was happening in this other time-stream. Besides, I'm a good guy now.'

    Silence while Janus pressed one hand against his forehead.

 'Yours?' the Pawn finally said.

 'I'm afraid so,' the Prince grunted.

 'This isn't happening…' Janus groaned.

 'Now look here, cutie,' the intruding spirit mildly smirked, 'no need to pale like your old man here.'

 'Oh really? You're getting out of my head _right now_!' 

 'Try me!'

 'Dammit!'

 'I'm not evil anymore, and your lord version here can second that.'

 'Could be,' the Prince snarled, 'but that doesn't mean that I'll let you stay.'

 'You're no fun!'

 'I remember your fun,' the oldest one coldly said, 'like that time when you turned me into a rat.'

 'And said I'd feed you to the gnashers?'

 'Yes,' both the Prince and Pawn coldly said.

 'Oh come on. Just what did you do to me then? You blew me up with Dark Matter at least three times and then you cleaved me in two pieces.'

 'I didn't even have time to begin.' 

    The Prince grunted and glared at the newcomer. 

 'Look, our wizard here will have to be able to concentrate, and he definitely won't be able to do that with you around,' he said, 'leave. Now.'

 'None of us saw him focus better any time but when he had an enemy around, now did we?'

    The intruder tilted his head.

 'Come on, please? Just for a little while?'

 'Don't give me that damn look!' Janus snarled.

 'Well, I'm not moving.'

 '_Damnation_, Flea!'

    There was another moment of silence.

 'You need to get away from Frog,' the Prince muttered.

 'Definitely,' Flea nodded with a slanted smile, 'he's unhealthy. Trust me, I know.'    

    With a groan Janus shifted position and heavily thumped onto the roof. He didn't even care if anyone inside heard him.

 'Fine, what do you want then?' he growled.

 'Just watch a bit. I'm a spirit, though a bit deader than your two paraphrases here,' Flea calmly said. 

 'So I've heard.'

    Janus rolled his eyes.

 'We can't throw you out, can we?' he tiredly asked.

 'Nope.'

 'Then just shut up.'

 'Alright, alright.'

    Sighing the wizard stood up and jumped into the grass about twenty feet below. Muttering to himself and to his mind he went inside, hosting one more spirit with him than anyone would have wished for.

 'Why do I get into these kind of situations…'

 'Do you get possessed often?'

 '_Shut up, Flea_!' three men dangerously growled.

 'Geez, touchy as always…'


	14. Messenger from heaven, not very welcome

Chapter 14, Revelations

There are moments when I think that some kind of divine, or at least quite powerful, force of fate is playing with me.

    It never was as strong as right now, though.

 'Heh…' my oldest guardian -or rather, my second oldest person in my head- snorts, 'you've seen nothing yet. I've felt worse than this in the hands of "fate".'

 (I shouldn't say this in a serious fic but… ;) Let's just say that me and Magus have a sorta strained relationship from my earliest fics. Couple a' crossovers (between games) and a parody and wham! He hates me with a passion.)

 'Did you ever have your archenemy in your head, giving art-reviews of your memories?' I dryly comment.

 'I've had to put up with my ex-archenemy hearing my niece call me "uncle Janus".'

 'Glenn, eh?'

 'I have never before nor after seen anyone laugh that much.'

 'Yeah, that was quite amusing to watch if I do say so,' Flea smirk somewhere in the back of my mind.

 (Author's note: 

    As you might remember Lizard and co. in Another life told Janus and the others that spirits have insight in the whole history, that's why Flea can know about it.)

 'Not as fun as when Schala blew you and Slash through the wall of Guardia castle,' my guardian growls.

 'I don't recall you laughing right then,' the magician mildly comments.

    Silence. 

    I start getting a headache because of the red-hot glare crossing through the center of my thoughts.

 'Quit it!' I snarl, frustrated.

 'Habit,' Flea grunts, 'sorry.'

 'For a cleaned soul you're still quite yourself,' my teacher comments, deliberately staying out of the area between the magician and older warlock.

 'As I said, habit,' the mystic shrugs, 'they're hard to kill.'

    He gives a short, grim sneer at the joke, but none of us follow up. I doubt he believed we would.

    I tiredly glance out of the window just above me. Any minute now they'll be here… from where I stand I have a perfect view of the entrance of Enhasa. I won't miss my friends when they arrive.

    For a moment I close my eyes.

    I waited thirteen years… even more since I got to know Glenn, above anything I wanted to be honest with him. But now I feel almost bitter when the time draws closer.

    The nearest future… might not be pleasant. Many things about my fate I have desired, others I have feared.

 'Don't go that way,' my teacher concernedly warns, 'it's not your mother anymore, remember that.'

 'It's nothing I can work out…'

    I straighten up a bit, clenching my jaw and fists.

 '… Besides, it's your fault I learned to love people.'

    I feel the leader of the Mystics and Flea exchange glances, for the first time I see them agreeing.

 'True.'

    My teacher sighs.

 'You've led a different life than the two of us,' he continues, 'so you're nothing like we were. But what you see of your mother is another shell of Lavos, remember that.'

 'I know… goddammit…'

 'Schala almost died because of her love of that shell, Lavos used her to destroy Zeal completely,' Flea's old leader snarls, 'and the queen laughed.'

    I'm silent. 

    I know, I know, I know, I know… 

    But… it's…

    I can't…

 'Milord.'

    Flea floats over to the man from the same time stream, putting a hand on his shoulder without flinching.  

 'Hm?' he mutters, drawn from his own grim silence.

 'I really think you should tell them,' the magician says, not a trace of mockery nor scorn in his voice, 'there's still time before Crono and the others come here.'

    I straighten up a bit again, like my teacher frowning.

    Our mirror seems distant for a moment. Flea moves away from him again.

 'Tell us what?' I finally ask.

    His whole spirit is turning as strained as a bowstring. Then suddenly the tension falls back a little, but I almost shudder at the cold rage he emits.

 'Fine…' he snarls and grimly crosses his arms.

    For a moment more he is quiet, I believe he's trying to assemble composure.

 'I didn't tell you everything about how I lost my powers,' he finally admits in a snarl, 'it wasn't just that Lavos fooled me in a moment of weakness.'

    His voice begin as a harsh growling until he's almost shouting.

 'I'm going to tell you the full truth now, both of you. Queen Zeal is _not_ just a shell. But you're still going to kill her, boy. For no other reason than that it's the only thing she can hope for now. You have no idea! You have no idea…'

    He pauses for a moment longer, and then he literally roars in revulsion and dread:

 '_You have no idea how it is to be possessed by that demon_!'

    I nearly fall to the floor, even if he hadn't screamed the message is nearly more than I can handle.

    None of us, not me nor my teacher, can bring forth a thought of counter.

 'He did not only manage to steal my powers,' the former lord of darkness hisses, 'oh no, that just wouldn't be enough. He had to try to get my body too. And you listen to me now, boy. He tried to break me by bringing my mind into an illusion of what he would have done if succeeded. And it would have been real, for Schala experienced it when she tried to assemble our friends to save me.'

    Another pause before he grudgingly keeps talking.

 'Through my own eyes I saw Robo fall to pieces and melt, I saw the Masamune shatter, I saw Glenn die trying to protect Schaliya, I saw Crono, Marle and Lucca flee in terror. And in the end…'

    He's shivering now.

 '… In the end I saw Schaliya plunge what was left of the Masamune into my chest, half insane. Help from the other side wouldn't have saved her mind, should it really have occurred.'

 'I could have helped save your soul, Schaliya is something else,' Flea mutters in the back.

 'You're going to kill queen Zeal, understand?' my oldest guardian coldly says, 'for as it is now, she is in hell. She'll be free only when she's dead.'

    I swallow hard and somehow manage to move my head in a nod.

    Fair… enough… good Lord…

 'And to know I've still got him hiding in my mind somewhere…' my teacher mutters in a rather hoarse voice.

 'He doesn't have a chance unless you lets your guard crash down,' Flea says.

    He leans his cheek in a hand and grunts.

 'Yeah well… he might interfere if something else tries to take over…'

    My oldest mirror slowly turns around and glares at the mystic, still shuddering slightly with tension and rage from his outburst.

 'Don't you tell me…' he growls.

    Flea backs further away without looking up, almost absentmindedly.

 'Lizard and Zeal discussed that it was strange that it seemed strange that you were able to hold up for so long. And when greeny removed Charash's curse he felt as if something was helping him pull it out.'

 'You're still an expert of making my temper move down to murderous.'

 'Already dead, sorry.'

 'Sorry indeed.'

    Me and my teacher just watch and listens to the argument with a sort of tense fascination. 

 'So tell me,' our mirror coldly says, 'if spirits have insight in the whole history then why didn't you know that Lavos' soul was hiding in my mind all the while?'

 'It's not that simple, sadly,' Flea says, shaking his head, 'if we're to watch over someone then we're stuck with that person as his life goes on, though we can see the world around him and try to help. Lavos hid too well for us.'

 'The powers forbid. You're saying that _you_ are my guardian angel?' the old lord sarcastically says.

 'Well… Lizard is the most powerful one of us, but eh… yes.'

    And with that the magician quickly ducks. 

    Very slowly I rise my hand and cover my eyes with it. Following my movements exactly two of the spirits in my head does the same.

 'I'm not hearing this,' my teacher and the dark prince snarls simultaneously.

 'Regard it as a payback from us,' Flea says, a hint of cheerfulness back in his voice.

    … Us? Aw, damn.

 'I don't believe this…' I more or less groan in my thoughts.

 'You better do,' the infernal magician says, and I see a hint of his evil side again as his voice turns somewhat demanding, 'now shape up and get going, I feel two swordsmen and a princess closing in.'

    My mirrors scowl at him, probably because they have memories of that tone of his.

    Well, I'm glad to getting something else on my mind… 

    Taking in a couple of deep breaths I move into one of the few shadows available in Enhasa, to observe the entrance completely unseen.

    Some part of me can't help but still being surprised with the fact that Flea is telling the truth. Within a minute I oversee Crono, Frog and Marle entering the magical city, a bit bewilderedly looking around at the strange place. Their journey here must have mystified them as well, finding this magical land…

    I clench my teeth and stay in hiding. Let them find out for themselves… it'll be much easier to explain. It's only a matter of moments until they meet prince Janus. 

Hehehe… short chapter… I'm stretching things a bit, I know, I know. But in the next chapter Janus will tell the others everything, I promise.

There were quite a few spoilers for the Prince's story in this chapter, but I hope that'll just make you want to read it more ;) Don't worry, it'll come too.


	15. Time to tell the truth

Took a while longer than usual, but now that you can read about what happened in the other time stream too there's more freedom for you readers and me as well :) It's _finally _time for the truth to be revealed. 

I have a problem though. I have no real idea of what will happen in the palace. I had this lined out and what's to come afterwards (most of it) but not that. Oh well… it'll come. Somehow, somewhere over the rainbow…

Ahem.

~*~*~ 

 "What a peculiar place…" Frog mumbled in amazed puzzlement.

 "Yeah…" Marle said in a low voice, "now I _really_ wonder what year it is."

 Well, it doesn't look like the future, but neither like any past I've heard of, Crono said.

    What amazed them the most wasn't the fantastic architecture or not even the fact that they were upon an island floating high up in the sky. By now they felt more bewildered about that nobody of the many strangely dressed people inhabiting the era seemed to mind Frog at all. The men, women and children glanced a little at the travelers every now and then, but they seemed to look more at what the three wore than the rest of them.

    Lucca and Ayla had profusely explained that they hated cold, and Frog had been about to fly off the handle of his worry for his lost blue-haired friend. Therefore it had been decided that he would be better off following Crono than stay in the End of Time, just being apprehensive. Robo hadn't had anything against staying, and Marle had been curious about the new time, thus the party had been sorted out.

    The showdown against the Reptites had been tiring, but their main worry was all the same ever since the Mystic's castle, though.

 "I wonder if Janus is here somewhere," the princess concernedly said, glancing at Frog who bitterly clamped is teeth.

    How big were the chances to ever find…

 "Are you looking for young sir Janus?" an elderly man said.

    He almost jumped when the three peculiar guests spun at him.

 "What?!"

 "Excuse me, I overheard you…" he said, rather surprised.

 "Is Janus here?" Marle hurriedly asked, unable to be polite in her freed anxiety.

 "Do you have an urgent message for the prince?" the old man asked, puzzled over their behavior.

 "The wh…" Frog began, but Crono managed to cut him off before they got even more suspicious.

    In his recent travels the young man had picked up a way to act neutral with the new people he met, finding that it always was easier to play along and find out the facts later to avoid trouble. 

 Yes, it's very important, the red-hair quickly said, we need to see him as soon as possible. Have you seen him?

    The old man nodded, thoughtfully. Inwardly Marle groaned, seeing a rant coming as she was used to scholars and people liking the sound of their own voice.

 "He's here somewhere," the man said and sighed, "I've never seen such a troubled boy…"

 Truly? Crono said, managing to sound natural even this time though it was a close call.

    He was only trying to coax more information, but Marle could have whacked him over the head with her bow out of habit.

 "Yes," their informatory gladly continued, "it is indeed tragic that a boy of his bloodline cannot use magic. And his asocial manners! They're inexcusable… truly sad."

    Crono, Marle and Frog blinked rather stupidly, but the man didn't even notice, caught up in his own thoughts.

 "He should really open up to more than his sister," he said, "what shall we do with such a heir to the throne? It's impossible that a monstros… I mean, low-level human could ever rule our kingdom. Then again, when the Ocean Palace is finished maybe…"

 "We… we truly need to see the prince, sir," Frog said in a rather weak voice.

 "Oh, of course. Excuse me."

    The man smiled and looked around. 

 "I saw him just a moment ago… ah, there he is. Above the stair."

    Slowly the three warriors turned to follow the man's gaze and pointing finger.

    A small body dressed in purple robes was crouching down over a cat, stroking its head. The boy had blue hair, but that was all the observers could see from the distance.

 Thanks a lot! Crono said so fast that it was almost inaudible, just half a second before he, Marle and Frog broke into a run.

    They rushed towards the stair, absentmindedly apologizing to the people getting in the way.

    The boy suddenly straightened up and turned around, looking down the stair at the runners that skidded to a halt and almost crashed into each other as they stared up at the sad, gem-green eyes.

    Not Janus' red eyes…

    The staring seemed to go on for an eternity.

 "The black wind howls," the boy suddenly said in a bitter voice, "one among you will soon perish."

    Crono, Marle and Frog were already shocked by what they just had heard from the old man and it just became worse by the boy's words. They couldn't even open their mouths or reach out as he quickly brushed past them.

 "Wait…" Marle whispered, but prince Janus and his purple cat were already by the town's exit and leaving.

    They were silent for a moment.

 The… black wind? Crono finally slowly said, a tad bit pale.

 "'Tis… 'tis too much of a coincidence…" Frog whispered.

    He almost jumped through the roof when a hand touched his shoulder from behind. Spinning around the three travelers' breath got stuck in their throats again.

    Janus pressed a finger against his lips with a cringe, his face shadowed below the hood of the cape he wore.

 "My hair will give me away," he hissed, "lets get out of here, I'll explain everything."

 That would be appreciated… Crono slowly said.

    He and his two companions hurried after Janus as he walked towards the gates in a quick stride.

    The four began running as soon as they had exited the town, rushing away from all the people that could overhear their conversation. Soon they reached the small river flowing over the island and down towards the clouds below.

    Janus threw his hood backwards and sunk down in the grass, seeming almost relieved.

 "Nice to see you again," he said, trying to smile a bit.

 "What happened to thee?" Frog asked with a frown as he too sat down, "what is happening?"

 "What about the prince?" Marle wondered.

 Who was he? Crono questioned. 

    Janus held up his hands.

 "It's a long story, calm down," he tiredly said and rubbed his forehead, "I hardly even know where to start."

 "Do you have a headache?" Marle concernedly asked, noticing the wizard's frown.

    He nodded with a small, strangely ironical grimace.

 "I've got one you wouldn't believe," he said.

 'Are you calling me a headache?'

 'Do you really want to serve me a comment on that?' the Prince shot in before Janus could reply.

 'I'm _burning_ with offence!' Flea pouted.

 'Just shut up, I'm trying to think!' Janus grunted.

 "It's passing," he said aloud, "now let me explain."

    He made a motion with his hand towards the entire area around them, the floating islands, buildings and sky.

 "I have been keeping it a secret, and I apologize for that I wasn't being honest," the wizard said with a stitch of bitterness in his voice, "but I felt it was better to wait until you had seen some of it with your own eyes. This is the year 12000 BC, the kingdom of Zeal. And I was born here; the boy you saw was truly me."

 "Thou art a prince?" Frog said in disbelief.

    Janus nodded, watching his hands.

 "I was born a bastard son of Queen Zeal, nearly nobody knew who my father was and I could have lived without finding out. Sadly that wasn't the case and he will most certainly cause us trouble."

    His voice grew even more bitter, but shifted to soft at a certain point as he continued:

 "Though my mother was the queen and the most finest of magicians, I never showed any signs of being able to use magic. Thus I was considered a worthless child, a freak even. To a point mother still loved me, but suddenly she stopped caring. Left were only my cat Alfador and my sister, Schala. She brought me up as mother was lost."

    He fell silent, trying to figure out how to continue.

 "What happened to you, why did you come to Guardia from here?" Marle asked, carefully.

    Janus smiled a bit, bitterly.

 "I'll get to that," he promised, "first of all… when I say that my mother went lost I don't mean that she died. It's as simple as it is horrifying. Look around."

    Again he motioned at the floating world.

 "Zeal is a magical place," he explained, "however, no human could keep these mountains afloat like this. The power that allows this life above the harsh winter lands comes from the god of this land. And that is Lavos."

 "Say _what_?!"

 "Lavos is an intelligent being," Janus growled, "and you felt his power when he awoke in the Mystic's lair."

 How can you know that? Crono asked, you were uncon…

 "My guardians," Janus mildly said.

 Oh.

 "Who are they?" Marle asked, unable not to stray from the subject in her puzzlement.

 "They're from different paths of time, versions of what I could have been," Janus said, "the oldest you saw led the Mystics in the war against the humans, the younger one served them as a slave. But he was also the one saving me from either fate. Calm down, we're getting there."

    His friends nodded and he continued:

 "Lavos has this land under control through my mother, whom he is possessing. I don't look forward to fighting her but I have been forced to face that it's inevitable. Now then…"

    He smiled a bit at this point.

 "Remember that history is different now, and that my guardians are from what one can call different versions of the same timeline. Different sides, almost identical but not truly. Do you understand?"

 "I believe I do," Frog slowly nodded.

    Marle and Crono agreed after a moment of trying to grasp the idea.

 "Well then, that's the main thing you'll have to remember to understand my tale," Janus explained, "my story began from early tomorrow, as it takes some time to travel over to the palace from here. One day when I was seven years old I had just returned from Enhasa, where I had gone trying to get my mind off things. Though I was so small I was a troubled child, as I was regarded worthless by almost everyone. And soon the Ocean Palace would be complete, robbing me of the one human caring for me. Schala was to move into the new capital, and I'd most likely not see her whenever I wanted ever again. Upon coming back from Enhasa I went to talk to Schala. Apart from my normal troubles I was worried about the black wind. It's a sort of omen that only I and my sister seem able to feel…"

 "What did your younger self mean with that one among us soon would perish?" Marle worriedly asked.

 'Bloody hell…' Janus thought.

    He seldom cursed but there were times it felt better.

 'Stay calm,' his teacher warned.

 'Right.'

 "The black wind sounds to me like a choir of ghostly voices warning about misfortune, pain and death whenever such approaches. Something horrible will happen to this country, that much is certain, but it's vague on the details," Janus lied, trying not to glance too much at Crono.

 Does it say that one of us three will die soon? the young man grimly asked.

 _He will die to save others, prince… it's so sad, such a young, strong human…_

"I can't say for certain," Janus calmly said, "it has been wrong before and I can hardly grasp the message now. So don't worry unnecessarily, that'll just eat at your focus."

    They looked a bit skeptic but before they could continue the wizard smiled a little, dryly.

 "Don't worry. You seemed healthy enough when you showed up here last," he said.

 "Huh?" the listeners wondered, dumbfounded.

 "While I was talking to Schala that day three strangers entered her room, but none of us noticed them before Schala was called to the throne room. There was one young man with red hair, a young blond woman with green clothes and a big, fully dressed frog."

    Their looks just caused him to smile a bit more.

 "What happened then wasn't so good however," he continued, dropping his good mood a little again, "you got captured by the queen's head advisor Dalton."

    Shaking his head he growled:

 "He's a corrupt, backstabbing, power hungry, murderous, cruel, weak-minded, cowardly, egoistical swine of a fool. And on top of that he's my father."

 "Oh dear…" Marle mumbled.

 "I see why thee never spoke much of family," Frog mildly said, his green face a tad bit pale though.

    At that, Janus even smiled a bit again, although dryly.

 "So is the cruel truth," he said, "in any case, Schala decided to free the strangers from the prison and let them out, hoping that they could do something about the catastrophes the two of us felt nearing. This was since they had proved themselves brave warriors against Dalton's henchmen. So they left… a couple of days later the Ocean Palace was finished. Schala and I decided to try to flee to the Earthbound ones, meaning humans without any magic skill. They are banished from Zeal and have to try to survive best they can down on the ground. Hadn't I been the queen's son I had probably been thrown there as well."

    Now his smile turned more genuine again.

 "On the way to the caves of the Earthbound ones Schala and I met another stranger, walking through the snowstorm shielded by spells different from my sister's. As we closed in we found him quite fearful, he was pale as death itself and his crimson cloak flapped like demon wings in the storm. He seemed very weak too, almost scared of us. After a moment he explained that his name was Janus; a future me. You have no idea how such information shocks, I'm just glad Schala was there to calm me. Then he teleported us to the caves…"

    It took the wizard a while to tell his tale to the end, then listening to his companion's story about the reptites.

 "So what do we do now?" Marle asked as both sides were finished.

 "First of all I think we better try to stay as close to the timeline as I remember it as possible," Janus grimly said,  "because I don't want to risk loosing this boy-me to the Mystics by wrecking havoc in the story. We should travel in a group of three."

 "But thou knowest this time, it would be wise that thee followed us," Frog wisely pointed out.

    The wizard nodded.

 "I suppose so. Then again, giving myself away as Janus so that Lavos finds out I'm here would not be wise. He wants my death more than Flea ever could dream of."

 'Darn right! You can't accuse _any_ of me to eat your magic and make a package of your soul!' 

    The three Januses just silently grunted something. 

 "Have you learnt healing magic yet, Glenn?" the present one mildly asked aloud.

    There was a silence. Then Frog chuckled, shaking his head.

 "I canst not believe thou can still surprise me," he said, "and nay, not much though it grows within me."

 "I believe that my presence here already change history," Janus said with a sigh, "and we'll have to be prepared for fights. Magic is essential as it's the way of battle here. I'm sorry."

 "Though it pains me I see thy point," Frog nodded with a sigh.

 What should we worry about? Crono asked.

 "Dalton, mainly," Janus said, "he looks like this…"

    He raised his hand a pressed two fingers against his forehead, with simple willpower creating a life sized illusion of the one-eyed man.

 "I'll avoid using Shadow spells at any cost," the wizard said and made the picture disappear again, "it may draw Lavos' attention and we might not be ready for him yet. Especially not since he can rally the whole Zealan army against us."

 "Infiltration mission, eh?" Marle said and smiled nervously.

 We'll be fine, we have a guide who knows the whole place this time, Crono said, trying to calm the princess.

 "If it makes you feel better, Enhasa has some useful shops," Janus calmingly said, "I would have proposed seeing if there's anything we can use anyway."

 "Wouldst thee go to explore the city?" Frog asked, looking at Crono and Marle, "I wish to have a word with Janus alone."

    The two youngsters exchanged glances and looked at Janus, who nodded lightly.

 Alright, Crono said and stood, we'll be back soon.

 "Take the time you need," Janus kindly said. 

    Crono and Marle walked off, puzzled glancing back a couple of times. As they we're out of hearing range Janus nodded.

 "Alright, what is it?" he calmly asked.

 "I wish to apologize," Frog replied, sadly shaking his head.

 "For what then?"

 "In the past I have scolded thee for being cold to lady Lai," the knight said, "but upon learning about this time travel and thy past I can finally draw a line between our friend and miss Lucca."

    Janus watched his hands.

 "I don't blame you," he said in a  controlled voice, "it was I who never told you."

 "But dost she know this?" 

 "Yes…"

    Janus shook his head without looking up.

 "It was very trying for me to keep quiet around you and everyone else, but when it came to Lai it was impossible. I could not keep lying to her."

 "Dost thee love her, then?" Frog softly asked.

 "It can never be, Glenn. For Lucca's sake; I am not meant to be her ancestor. She might stop existing."

 "I see."

 "Since you're going back in time, would you go home and tell everyone that we are still alive?"

    At this, Frog very dryly chuckled.

 "Question thyself what thou art asking of me," he said with a small smirk, "thou ask me to return to the castle and tell Her Highness and His Majesty, all the knights, our friends and most importantly Lai that thou art well, but canst not return yet? That I failed to bring thee home safe? There would be fried frogs legs on the menu by nightfall."

    Janus finally looked up and even chuckled a bit at the comment. Frog smiled a little, glad to have recovered his friend's optimism a little.

 "True that," the wizard said with a small grin, "I better come with you when time allows, so that you'll be left out of the slaughter."

 "Fair enough," the knight chuckled.


	16. Family

Chapter 16, Sibling reunion v. 3

The episode of loosing the Gate key during the first visit to the stone age had learnt Lucca one thing; make multiple sets of important items. Using Glenn's memories of the cave with the Gate Janus teleported the knight away after Marle had equipped him with the extra key.

    The three warriors then set out to cross the winter landscape separating them from the main island of Zeal, with the wizard by their side and his fire spells to warm them spared of the cold winds. It was no problem reaching the capital island.

 "Things really get simpler with you around," Marle cheerfully commented as they exited the skyway house and entered the warm sunlight again.

 Yeah, glad to have you around, Janus, Crono smiled.

 'Bad vibes…' Flea muttered, and just for once there was silent agreement. 

 "That's sort of amusing considering I could have been your sworn enemy at this point, as one of my versions was," Janus said, perhaps somewhat superstitious trying to smoother the all too good-looking future.

    He looked ahead and pointed towards yet another assembly of white buildings.

 "That's Kajar," he informed, "but I doubt there's anything we need to see there."

 "What's that?" Marle asked, pointing to the northwest of their position.

    Dark metal shimmered in the sun, two gigantic winds stretched out ready to embrace - or take - the sky at will. It was bigger than the city, resting dangerously on the island's edge.

 "The Black Bird," Janus said with a roll of his eyes, "Dalton's gigantic toy. It's _almost_ as big as his ego."

    They began walking.

 "Well, at least you've got nothing from his side of the family…" Marle pointed out, trying to cheer her friend up.

    Janus gave a wry smile for that, though his face almost was completely shadowed by the hood.

 "Thanks," he noted.

 "You're welcome."

 Lucca would squeal with delight if she saw that thing… Crono muttered while shaking his head, pointing at the Black Bird with his thumb.

 "Never saw it from the inside," Janus said with a shrug, "heard it's pretty impressive but never cared to check really."

 'They'll get a nice look while you're gone saving the prince,' the Prince and Pawn grunted at the same time.

 'They get captured?' Janus grimly thought, his eyes narrowing.

 'Nothing they can't handle, don't worry.'

 'If you say so.'

 Hey, we're getting company, Crono warned.

 "Hmm?" Janus said, looking up.

    His teeth clenched.

 "Isn't that…?" Marle said in a tense voice.

 "Just don't look at them," Janus growled, "look ahead."

 Alright.

    Three men came prancing down the road from the palace caves, probably on their way to the Black Bird. The wizard and his friends had already passed the crossroad on their way in the opposite direction, it was too late to turn without giving warning signs.

    Closing in…

 "Hey, what are you people?" a voice from behind a mask said, distrustfully.

    With no other choice the travelers stopped, hoping not to cause a fight.

    The soldiers of the kingdom had always worn masks, why had Janus never really understood. Perhaps since their general knew anonymity made more cruel methods possible.

 "Suspicious looking…" the second mask agreed.

    The leader said nothing at first, but his lonely eye went over the three.

 "A bit paranoid, aren't you?" Janus smirked at the soldiers, his accent acquired from Guardia perfectly replaced with the fine Enhasan inflection.

 "Don't give us that, lowlife," the first soldier spat, "don't you know who you're facing?"

    The hood turned lightly towards Dalton and then fully at the ground as Janus performed a very graceful bow. Trusting him to know best Crono and Marle followed up.

 "Indeed I do know who lord Dalton is," Janus calmly said, not allowing a spark of his disgust escape to his voice, "but I wasn't talking to him, sir."

 "Why you…"

 "What's with the hood?" Dalton asked, silencing his men.

    Janus straightened up again, still not completely in order to keep his face shadowed.

 "Ah that…" he said, "a mere magical accident. It's the reason I need to go to the palace, I hope that princess Schala will be able to help me with my rather embarrassing problem. If you'd be so kind not to ask I'd be grateful, lord Dalton."

 "I don't care," the general said in a bored voice, "not my problem."

 "Thank you. Come on, hurry up."

    The last Janus aimed at his companions in a demanding manner, and they hurried past Dalton and his men.

 "Wish I was still in Guardia so I could kill something!" he snarled as they got out of hearing range.

 'Horrible way, but he fell for it I believe,' the Pawn acknowledged.

 You'd do a fine spy, Crono chuckled.

    Janus reached up and pushed the hood a little to the side to fully reveal his grimace, which caused his friends to chuckle.

 "Schala!"

    The princess put her book back in the shelf and turned around with a smile.

 "Oh Janus, you're back?"

    Her smile faltered as she saw his bitter expression and she sunk down on one knee to get closer to his level.

 "What the matter?" she kindly asked.

 "The black wind…" he murmured, looking away.

    Schala tilted her head. True, the ghostly voices were whispering to her, but she had tried to dismiss it. But…

 "You can feel it too?" she asked.

    Her little brother nodded, silently.

 "Don't worry, it'll be alright."

 'I wanted to give him this, better do it now. The Ocean Palace will be done soon and…'

    She cut off the thought, didn't want to think about it. Reaching into her robes she brought out something, safely hidden in her fist.

 "Now, hold on to this…"

    Janus reached out and then looked at what he held. It was a small blue crystal, encircled by golden threads. 

 "What's this?" he asked, for a precious moment even curious.

 "It's an amulet of a sort," Schala softly said, "it'll protect you."

    At that he furiously looked up. 

 "Schala, I don't want you to go!" he pleaded, in hopeless anger. 

    The words cut like knives in the princess' heart, and she had to turn away.

 "I wish I could be with you always," she said in a low voice, "but mother wishes otherwise."

 "She's not our mother!" Janus furiously whispered.

    Schala looked around, frowning.

 "She looks the same but inside she has changed!" her brother bitterly growled, looking away.

    The princess turned around to hide her pained expression once again.

 "Still I can't… I'm sorry, Janus," she said in a low voice.

 'Mother has changed, that's true…' she sadly thought, 'but she's my mother, I don't want to let her dreams down, it's just for the best of the kingdom! Still, who's going to care for Janus?'

    Light footsteps she couldn't recognize brought her out of her thoughts and she turned around. 

    Janus was glaring up at an intruding stranger, a tall man with a light cape and hood hiding his face in shadows.

 "Hello, who might you be?" Schala carefully asked.

    A deep sigh was heard from beneath the hood, but instead of instantly replying the stranger revealed his arms from the depth of the cape and reached downwards without bending his back. 

    The movement was eerily familiar…

    With a purr Alfador leaped into the strangers arms, he who never showed anyone except Janus affection. Schala blinked.

 "What?!" Janus croaked, shocked as his cat, his second closest friend, betrayed him.

 "Don't worry…" a soft man's voice gently said from beneath the hood.

    Schala opened her mouth to ask who he was again, but was cut off by yet another new voice.

 "Princess, the queen summons you to the throne room."

    Looking down towards the door to her room Schala spotted a maid. And behind her where two more strangers, silently standing by the wall. Both of them young, one young man and a woman in his age, looking a little bit confused.

    Before the princess had time to reply to the maid's message the first stranger walked down to her and muttered something in a low voice. She stared at him in surprised fear, and he said something again. The maid turned around and hurried away.

 "We've only got a few minutes in any case," the stranger grimly said as he came back to the siblings, "and it's a bit complicated."

 "Who are you?" Schala asked, a bit nervous now. 

    Janus was standing beside her, almost taking cover but clearly angry about how Alfador had acted. 

    The hood turned lightly towards the two other strangers, as if wanting to reassure that the door was guarded. After checking this he bent down and put Alfador on the floor, but the cat kept watching him as he remained heavily on one knee.

 "Are you alright?" the princess asked, feeling the bitterness flowing out from the man's being.

 "It's a long story, Schala," he slowly said, standing up and pushing the hood backwards.

    A thin, fine face apart from a scar on his left cheek and forehead was revealed, and a long flow of blue hair. A very distinct hue. The eyes meeting Schala's stare with a hint of sadness were ruby red, but their shape…

 "Who are you?" she said again, her voice turning into a shocked whisper.

 "I'm here from the future, Schala," he said in the same gentle voice that had tried to calm her brother, "I'm Janus."

    She felt a pull in her robes and glanced down for a moment, seeing her little brother pale and stiff in shock. Looking back at the stranger she tried to be angry at him for scaring Janus with such a silly lie, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to it. His sad red eyes were nailing themselves into her deepest mind.

 "And can you prove that?" she tried, disbelieving.

    Without a word he nodded and reached into his robe. After a couple of seconds he produced the very same amulet that the princess knew she had just given her brother. For an eternity she could only stare at it.

 "But… you… how?" 

 "It's a long story," he said again.

    He looked down at the prince, who stared at him even more scared than before.

 "I know how you feel," the grown man calmly said, "it was just a different man I met, somewhere else. But I meet myself I did."

    Schala reached out before she could stop herself and put her hand on his scarred cheek, like she did when her brother was sad. 

    He even closed his eyes just like Janus did…

 "It _is_ you?" she whispered.

    The smile seemed strangely not misplaced in his face, though the Janus she knew seldom smiled.

 "I grew up better than you could ever hope for, Schala," he warmly said as he opened his eyes again.

    His expression changed hand he shook his head, taking her hand.

 "But I had to come here to try to save you, definitely save myself. For if I don't, the boy here will grew up among enemies and in complete darkness."

    The boy backed up behind Schala, terrified by the intruder's words. Alfador followed him, sensing that something was wrong but not quite sure what it was.

 "It won't happen, I won't allow it," the man quickly assured, not seeking eye-contact with the child however.

 "But how?" Schala said in a low voice.

 "The queen will summon you again soon, and bringing you two away from here right now will alter history too much, I'm afraid," the grown Janus muttered, "I'd show you my memories but there's no time for that either. In short, Lavos is not what you have been fooled to think he is, he is pure evil and he's possessing mother."

 "What?" 

    The princess' voice could hardly produce the whisper.

 "Listen," he gently urged, calmingly holding her hand between his bigger ones, "in two days the Ocean Palace will be completed. Don't hesitate to go to the Earthbound village, me and my friends will meet you on the way and we'll do everything we can to protect you. Don't worry."

    Schala watched him for a moment longer, then grimly nodded.

 "I understand, Janus…"

    He smiled then, a little bit.

 "You've grown so much, little brother," she kindly commented, touching his other cheek.

    The small chuckle even made the boy peek out at the man, frowning but still.

 "I'm twenty years old and royal wizard of Guardia, a kingdom in a distant future," the grown prince fondly told her.

    Both Schala and her little brother blinked.

 "Wizard?" they said almost simultaneously.

    The grown Janus smiled again, wider this time, and looked down at himself as a child.

 "It takes a bit of extreme circumstances but magic will be awakened even in the son of queen Zeal."

    The child hid behind his sister again, but the reaction went slower than last. He was hesitating. Schala seemed to trust the stranger, but… and… 

    It was too confusing for him.

 "I might be harming history by talking to you already," the grown man slowly said, looking at Schala again, "it was different with me. But I've got my own feelings and a headache telling me it can't get worse by warning you earlier."

 "What?" the princess said, this time a little amused over the jocular tiredness in his voice.

    So different from her Janus, but still…

 "I'll explain when we've got more time," he promised, "but for now you better hurry to the throne room."

    She hesitated for a moment but then nodded.

 "Alright. Be careful, Janus."

 "I will, Schala," he nodded with a smile.

    He carefully let go of her and she walked towards the exit though she'd much rather stay and have him tell her more of the strange story. As he was still rather nervous the little Janus closely followed her, with Alfador toddling along.

    The two strangers by the door carefully smiled at the siblings and Schala returned that, understanding they were friends of her brother.

    As the two royalties had left the room Janus met Marle and Crono halfway to the door.

 "That went better than I thought it would," the princess warmly said, "congratulations, I'm happy she believed you."

 "Thanks, Marle," Janus gratefully said as he pulled up his hood again, making sure every strand of hair was hidden.

 So do we wait here for two days or what? Crono asked.

 "As it was for my teacher you had to flee through time and Dalton somehow managed to lock the Gate to Zeal," the wizard grimly said, "you had to seek the help of a Guru from here hiding in the destroyed future. If we don't make a ruckus here that won't be as urgently necessary… but I think we better look him up, for his help is vital in any case. But first there's something we need to do here."

Raw magical energy flowed into the room, seeping out into the magical kingdom of Zeal. It's origin was the looming, buzzing machine in the center of the room. 

 Not that I'm an artist, but that's one horrible piece of it, Crono grunted with a grimace, too low for the Enlightened ones to hear.

    Several of the inhabitants of Zeal were in the room, the only thing they seemed to be doing being watching the Mammon Machine with dreaming smiles almost as if the power coming from it put them in the same state that could be maintained with the help of mystical herbs.

    It was probably the sad truth, too.

 'Almost soulless…' Janus sadly thought, watching the happy people.

 'Sad,' his teacher agreed.

 "The Mammon Machine sucks power from Lavos," the wizard said once again as he had explained it earlier, "the Ocean Palace is built to bring it closer to the god."

 "And Schala operates it?" Marle whispered as they walked closer.

 "She uses her pendant, which is made in dreamstone like the Masamune and this wretched contraption," Janus nodded, "there's a little of it in my amulet too. The thing is, Schala's pendant can also work like a key to magical seals. Treasures of this era is still out there in history as their chests cannot be broken, I've even found a couple of them in Guardia."

 "But that's Schala's pendant, what's it to us?" Marle wondered.

 "It just needs reenergizing, and we'll be able to use it."

    Janus turned and pointed with a faint smile.

 "This."

 Eh? Crono said as something leaped out of a pocket into Marle's hand.

 "My pendant?" the princess said, puzzled.

    She looked up, bewildered.

 "You mean they're the same?"

 "We're going to use all help we can get, and those treasures are bound to be of some value in our struggle," Janus nodded, "just hold it up to the Mammon Machine."

    Marle nodded and stepped forward, hiding the pendant in her hands not to alarm any of the Enlightened ones. That was, just in case some of them were still somewhat in the real world. 

    Red light seeped between her fingers as the pendant reacted to the power of the Mammon Machine.

 'Careful…' the Prince muttered, and Janus backed away a little just in case Lavos would be able to feel even the faintest scent of him through the magic.

    After a few moments the light faltered and Marle quickly surpassed her pendant to a pocket.

 "Are we leaving?" she asked.

 "I think that would be best," Janus agreed, "I'll teleport us to the cave with the Gate once we're on a little more distance from Lavos."

 You're the expert here… Crono complied and they hurried towards the exit.

    Nobody tried to stop them as they left the palace and made their way down through the caves, to the grassland area.

 Dare I say that went surprisingly smooth? the red-haired one warily said as he and his companions slowed their pace down the road a little.

 "Maybe," Janus said with a slanted smile.

 "Schala seems really nice," Marle said, kindly.

    The wizard softly smiled under the hood and nodded.

 "I couldn't agree more."

 You want to go back to Guardia for a bit while we go to the future? Crono asked with a smile.

 "Now just how did you guess that?" Janus said with a wider smile.

 Not too hard to guess, pal.

 "Am I that predictable?"

 Nah, Frog just said something about you might want to get the shredding and shouting over with, the young man smirked and winked with one eye.

    At that Janus even chuckled, to his own surprise.

 "Lai can be quite colorful, indeed," he said.

 "I got the idea the queen and several others might have something to say about you getting captured," Marle mildly said. 

 "As long as they don't know _how_ I got caught I might just be able to walk away in less than three pieces."

 'Woe, vain, veil, why,' Flea's voice cut in through Janus' cheerfulness, 'I smell a dirty little spy…'

 'Just what I needed…' the wizard grunted.

 'Just about…' his teacher began.

 '… There,' the Prince ended, mentally pointing.

    Janus left hand shot out, and there was a strange, muffled shriek. For a moment his hand and fingers twisted about mindlessly, then a strange blue creature materialized in his grip. It had two small hands with three fingers, feet of much the same shape and wings on it's back. Its head was almost nothing but a giant eye.

 "A scout," the wizard tiredly said, "we've been stalked."

 For how long?! Crono grimly and worriedly demanded.

 "Hmm…"

    Janus brought the creepy thing down to his face level and glared into the eye. The thing blinked and twitched for a moment, but then seemed to grow paralyzed before the wizard's gaze.

 "It's seen nothing too dangerous," he said, "only from our entrance in the Mammon chamber. And it's not going to report anything to Dalton now."

    He carefully changed his grip so that the scout limblessly thumped into his assembled palms. Then he raised his hands towards the sky.

 "Go find yourself a safe spot, it's going to get dangerous here in a few days."

    With another squeak the blue scout took flight, once again alive. It fluttered away over the floating island like a big clumsy insect.

 "Why did you let it go?" Marle carefully asked.

 "It was empty of information after I examined it," Janus said, "and it's just a tool, no use to put any blame on it."

    As his right hand fell it painted a line of fire in the air, and the wizard calmly grabbed his staff.

 "It's those men hiding in the bushes that we should worry about now," he said in a low voice so that only Crono and Marle possibly could hear.

    In the next second a couple of masked warriors flew to their feet in alarm as their hiding place just beside the road got ripped away in one swipe.

 "I thought we were cleansed of all suspicion, my good men?" Janus mildly said while Crono and Marle pulled out their weapons behind his back.

 "That's for lord Dalton and Her Majesty to decide," the left warrior growled, "you're coming with us!"

 We haven't got time for this, I'm afraid, Crono snarled back.

 "Tough luck, lord Dalton's orders," the other one stated.

 "Says you and what army?" Marle sweetly said, almost playfully aiming her bow at the last spokesman's chest.

 "The whole Zealan army, should something befall us," he replied, a little nervous however.

 'Zeal is still too close,' Janus muttered to his friends' minds, 'Lavos might be able to track us if I teleport. Dalton finding the Gate is one thing…'

 'Gotcha…' Marle replied.

 'I'd wipe their minds clean of this too if I could, but it's too risky.'

 'Do we battle then?' Crono asked.

 'I see no other choice.'

    Janus glared at the warriors, but his hatred was placed elsewhere.

 'I'm _not_ being a prisoner again.'

 'I know how you feel,' Crono grimly said.

 'Janus, sorry to bother you but I _really_ mean it nicely this time,' Flea rabbled somewhere in the back of the wizard's mind, 'you're setting my clothes on fire here!'

 'Keep up the hate,' the Prince said with a small sneer, 'we might even get rid of him.'

 'How about focusing on what you're doing right now instead?!' the Mystic shouted, leaping from side to side.

 'Oh, fine.'

 "We've got important matters to attend to elsewhere," the wizard calmly said and leaned on his staff, "and yes, they're more important than Dalton's call."

 "You have some nerve!" the second warrior said, brandishing two daggers.

 "Your idea about getting physical…" Janus shrugged and got into a defensive stance.

    To make his point even clearer he let them attack first, easily parrying the daggers of the first attacker and sidestepping the other. Crono engaged battle with that one while Marle carefully aimed not to hit any of her friends.

    The warrior pestering Crono yelped and grabbed for his upper left arm, then growled and flew at the princess. His companion left Janus and followed his friend.

 'Wait for it…' the Prince muttered, holding the younger version back.

    Marle raised her bow and whacked the first one over the head before he could strike her, the second fell to the ground caught in midair as Crono got a hand on his crag.

 "Thanks Crono!" the princess called with a wide smile before she continued to pester her attacker.

 'Cute,' Flea commented with a smirk.

 'Don't push it,' the Prince warned.

 'Who, me? Hey ow, that burns!'

    Janus smirked at both the battle before him and the argument inside his head. Sadly so did his teacher, as that left them all off guard.

    Half a second too late Janus felt a pull in his hood and whirled around, whipping out his arm and smacking a dully yellow scout to the ground. The hood feel backwards and for a moment his hair melted into the blue sky, spread like a fan by his violent movement and the winds.

    The scout crashed on the road just before a pair of the finest boots the magical kingdom could produce.

 'Well damn…' Janus grunted while his hair fell back around his shoulders.

 "That's a strange 'embarrassing problem' you had," Dalton said with an intrigued smirk.


	17. Battle with Dalton

Chapter 17, Family quarrels

Crono and Marle rushed over to Janus while Dalton's men crawled up behind their boss. 

 "Be careful, lord Dalton…" one of the warriors growled, but it was hard to tell which one.

 "Would you like to explain yourself freely or do we have to get harsher?" Dalton said, still eying the wizard with unpleasant interest.

 "What do we do?" Marle hissed from the corner of her mouth.

 'As I told you he did find out the truth when I was the boy, but it's too early!' Janus muttered through telepathy, 'this could really complicate things…'

 'It won't be "complicated" before I pop out of your head and offer to help,' Flea dryly commented.

 'If you do you're deader than you'd ever believe was possible,' the three Januses snarled.

 'Is that gratefulness?'

 'When did I first talk with you about gratefulness?' the Prince asked.

 'That was when you first mastered Dark Matter, I believe.'

 'Precisely. And what do you remember from that?'

 'Very little, you put me in coma for a week. And when I woke up the first thing I heard was Slash announcing that you were our new king.'

 'Exactly. So shut up.'

 'Intriguing how your life was based on that spell…'

 'Oh shut it…' the Pawn grunted, a little sour even.

 'Focus, people!' Janus grunted.

 'Right.'

 'He did capture us when you were a child, didn't he?' Crono grimly said.

 'His golems are very powerful, and you didn't know how to fight them,' Janus replied, 'we can maybe make it… they can copy our magic, so we must be careful. There's no way we'll make it in a long fight.'

 'Can we combine our powers and take it out in one blow?' Crono thoughtfully suggested.

 'Hmm… it's made of stone so it has to be really strong.'

 "I'm still waiting for a reply," Dalton impatiently said.

 We're not answering to you, Crono snapped.

    Marle grimly nodded and Janus just glared.

 "To bad for you," the one-eyed man smirked and raised his hand, "come, golem!"

    What opened in thin air between the two groups looked almost like a Gate, but the darkness was too drained of life. A silhouette clumsily lumbered into sight, quickly gaining looks as the portal began to close. 

    It seemed to consist only of jaws and gigantic fists.

 "That is so… ugly…" Marle groaned.

 'I have an idea,' she whispered in her thoughts, quickly beginning to explain.

 "I'll teach you manners, you insect!" Dalton growled somewhere behind the stone giant.

 "But it's true!" the princess called, smirking.

 "Make sure you don't kill them, golem!" the general snarled.

    With a roar the stone-creature slammed its massive fists together.

 "Look out!" Janus shouted and leaped backwards, turning his staff horizontally and pressing it against his stomach so that Marle and Crono got pushed back together with him, almost carried on the weapon.

    Three gray orbs plunged down from nowhere and narrowly missed the good warriors. They dissolved almost immediately, but they obviously hadn't been nice to whatever they landed on.

 "How about it?" Marle growled as she got up.

 "I suppose it could work," Janus agreed, slamming his weapon into the ground to release the blades.

 "Alright, quickly! Crono?"

 Ready!

 "I'm ready," Janus said with a small, almost evil sneer on his lips.

 "Powers of the world, I bid of thee to lend me the power of Water!"

 … Of Lightning!

    Flanked by his friends' chanting Janus leaped forward, spinning the staff in his right hand.

    Before the golem had time to react it had a wizard on top of it. It obviously did not find that funny, rocking back and forth as it tried to reach him with its gigantic fingers. Janus stood firm however and kept spinning the staff at impossible speed.

    Without a word, without a taunting shout he stood there, silently holding a tornado and just bending away from the golem's tries to grab him. Then all of a sudden the staff stopped moving and the golem grunted in rage as it found it couldn't move its hands. The fingers that had tried to grab the wizard were locked in thick, clean ice. And in the middle of the ice was Janus, still in the complete cold. The staff lightly touched the stone head with one blade deep within the frozen water.

    Crono's feet left the ground as he raised his hands towards the sky, carried by the sheer power of his assembled will. 

 Ha!

    From the blue sky a massive lightning bolt flared, cleaving the ice by the middle. Janus flew out from the cold depths and landed on his feet while the golem rocked back and forth in pain as the lightning kept flowing electricity through it; its fists were forced down on the ground by the heavy ice. Just before the lightning finally ended the staff flew out of the its center and landed in Janus' hand. The blades were red hot after the intense electrifying and with a growl the wizard leaped forward, slashing at the small, mad eyes of the beast.

    It roared in pain and fell forwards, nearly crushing the wizard. 

    Janus stumbled out of the way and planted his weapon in the ground, the buried blade hissing as it met the cooler earth.

 'That was crazy,' the Prince mildly commented, smiling however.

 'I'm not sure if it was smart either,' Janus panted even in his thoughts.

    It had been a tad bit too close with the lightning bolt, but Marle's plan had worked well. Their opponent's main power was its massive fists, which needed to be taken cared of for safety purposes. The problem was to get both of its hands trapped with ice, with just one weighed down it might have been able to smash itself free. Janus' first part of it had been nothing but distraction to give Marle and Crono time to prepare their spells properly. To have him trapped in the ice and escape like that had been risky, but the red-hair knew his powers well.

    However, the cold had not been easy on Janus' body.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Water. Na matala sela…" he muttered.

    The healing eased the stiffness a little, but he still felt rather dizzy.

 Are you alright? Crono called as he and Marle hurried over to their ally.

 "Fabulous…" Dalton growled, rage and fascination battling within the single word.

    He raised his hand…

 '_Damn_!'

 "Run!" Janus croaked, but it was too late.

    With squeals of surprise Crono and Marle were pushed down on the ground together with Janus by three reddish walls that locked them inside a magical, pyramid formed prison. The wizard lost grip of his staff and it was pushed away, he pressed his hands against the walls snarling in rage.

 "Damn…!"

 What the…

 "Hey! Let us out, you slug!"

    Janus glared towards the distant Kajar past the approaching Zealans and tried to mutter the teleporting spell, but the walls glowed upon the final word and nothing happened. His will stayed locked in his head.

    Dalton sneered down at the three warriors that furiously slammed their fists against the inside of their cage.

 (Author's note:

If you level up like crazy or use game+ you'll probably be able to beat the golem in Zeal's throne-room. If so, Dalton uses this trick instead, in case anyone didn't know.)

 'Dammit!' Janus roared in his mind.

 'Didn't count on that, bloody hell…' the Pawn and Prince snarled simultaneously.

 "You're not getting out of there, children," Dalton smirked, causing several blue-hairs to grit their teeth, "will you still not talk by yourselves?"

 Go to hell! Crono snarled.

 "Oh really now. I'm sure the queen will be interested in such peculiar guests, and since you've proved you're dangerous we'll just have to make you explain yourselves. I'll gladly make you talk the hard way," he sneered, almost hungrily.

 "You one-eyed creep!" Marle just spat.

 'Schala has fixed this situation twice before,' the Prince growled, 'but Dalton never caught someone who had the hair color of the royal family earlier. I doubt he'll let her get close, we have to get you out right now somehow!'

 'I'd love to get out, but how?' Janus growled, hardly able to control his despair now, 'I'm not going through this again!' 

 'Calm down!' his teacher commanded, 'this isn't a good time to loose your cool. Focus! Dalton can't beat you now; he never got me nor the lord here and you're the strongest of us!'

    The Prince said nothing then, though he knew their corresponding Dalton most probably would imprison both his younger versions at one point. But it was better that they didn't know.

 'Easy for you to say…'

    But Janus clenched his teeth against the drowning waves of helplessness. There had to be some way out…

 'Flea! Where did you go?' the Prince suddenly called, suspiciously. 

 'Can it, cutie. I've almost got it…'

 'Got what now?'

    For a tormenting split second nobody said anything in Janus' mind, though Marle and Crono kept swearing at Dalton.

 'There's a weak point, the top of the pyramid isn't perfectly shut!' the Mystic finally called in triumph, 'it might be breakable!'

 'But Dalton will notice I'm up to something…' Janus grimly said.

 'Who said _you'd_ do it?'

 '_FLEA_!' three blue-hairs shouted.

 'Really now, can you never hear me out, boys?'

    Crono's features locked in a growl for a swift moment a second later, as he listened to something in his thoughts. Marle was able to keep shouting at their warden as if nothing had happened within her mind.

 "Alright you two, shut up," Janus growled aloud and grabbed a shoulder in each hand, "this isn't helping at all."

    He dragged them as far away from Dalton as it was possible in the small cell, glaring up at their captor alone.

 "Fine," the wizard snarled, "I'll talk if you spare them. They're hardly more than kids, let them be."

 "And I had a feeling you knew me a little," the general cruelly said, "but I might consider being a little kind for once. Maybe."

    Janus just glared up at him without a word. Marle and Crono sat behind him on their knees, silent.

 "So let's hear it," Dalton smirked, "who are you? And I mean you, not the others."

 "I'm a skilled mage, born in Zeal."

    That reply would possibly serve to protect the prince.

 "Oh really?" Dalton skeptically said, "what's your name then?" 

 "Cyrus," Janus lied.

    It was the first thing coming to mind, apart from Magus which came out of a memory but was strangled and quartered before it had time to slip out between his lips.

 "I've never heard of a mage nor warrior named Cyrus of your caliber," the general said, soft as silk, "especially none with the hair color typical for the royals."

 "I told you it was an embarrassing problem," Janus spat, "I made a mistake and the explosion changed my hair!"

 "Did you see the princess about it?"

 'He'll question Schala about this whether we get out or not, what would she say?' Janus hissed.

 'Tell him whatever, I'll warn her,' the Pawn offered.

 'But what about Lavos?'

 'I'll be careful.'

 'Alright.'

 "She hadn't time to talk, she was going to the throne-room as I saw her so I went to the Mammon machine in hopes that the power streams would be able to revert the magic," Janus said aloud, "as you see it didn't work."

    Dalton was silent for a moment. Then he raised his hand and waved it from side to side.

 "Turn your head," he commanded, "let me see your profile."

 "For what goddamn reason?" Janus asked, raising an eyebrow.

 "You remind me of someone," Dalton said, leaning forwards a little with a thoughtful smirk, "even more as you glare with such bleary eyes."

 "My bet is that you're talking about prince Janus," the wizard calmly said, "you're not the only one. People always said that if my hair was blue instead of purple… well, you know."

    He added the last with a roll of his eyes.

 "I really think that explosion might have been set by some kid wanting to play a prank on me."

 "I'm not questioning you for small talk," Dalton snapped.

 "Then what?" Janus replied.

 "One simple thing before we go on. Do you think I believe you?"

 "Probably not, then you wouldn't ask that."

 "Clever man."

    Dalton straightened up, smirking.

 "I'll have you tell the truth soon enough, you or your young companions."

 "Just what makes you think I lie?" Janus furiously asked, "leave them out of this, they're…"

 "Yes, just what are they?" Dalton cut him off, "they're not Enlightened ones and obviously not Earthbound ones."

 "I simply find Nu's and their likes too common," Janus said, "this design is more interesting."

 "And just now you called them kids and was worried about them?"

 "You might not care about your created companions but it took me a long while to give mine proper minds and bodies, you leave them be!"

 "I have no created companions," Dalton sneered, "it's too easy to command them."

 "Then what about those scouts following us?" Janus shot out.

 "What are those to care about?"

 "Point."

 'Are you done yet?' he hissed in his thoughts.

 'Any second…' Crono reported.

 "Well whatever they are," Dalton sneered, "you do seem to care more about them than about yourself so you've already proven your weak spot. And you obviously do know enough to be aware of what happens to people who endangers the kingdom."

 "We, or rather you put them on mount Woe."

 "True. But in some cases that's eventual."

    Janus shifted his legs a bit, still pressing one hand against the wall as he had done for a while.

 "You know, I don't think you'd believe me no matter what I'd told you, Dalton," he commented.

 "Nobody talks that easily," the captor commented.

 "You're smarter than most would say you are, after all," Janus said with a sneer.

    Dalton's single eye thinned with rage.

 "You're not in a situation to talk like that, my friend," he coldly said, "I can fry one of your friends from here if you don't behave according to your position."

    Janus pursed his mouth.

 "Alright, alright, I know you've got us right where you want us," he said, "I know the only sensible thing to do."

    Marle and Crono grabbed his hands and in a storm of lightning tearing up the tiny hole in the top of their prison they shot upwards with magical, red shards exploding around them.

 "Escape," Janus clarified, releasing the teleportation spell that had been canned before.

    Followed by Dalton's furious holler they swept away from the field and landed on top of one of Kajar's buildings. With a little better ability to concentrate Janus focused on the field outside Enhasa and they leaped there through the magic.

 "At this rate he won't lock up the Gate, he'll follow us or send something through," Janus snarled and made his friends run towards the town, "we can't let him do that, it's way too early."

 "What?" Marle asked, confused, "will he know time travel?"

 "He was in Guardia," Janus snarled, "a future version of him was helping the Mystics in their tries to kill me, but it's not time for that yet."

 You have one hard necked father, have to hand him that, Crono growled as they rushed on.

 "Sadly, yes."

    Janus hissed the spell again and they landed in the shadow of the white buildings on Enhasa's south side.

 "They'll find my teleport tracks within seconds and follow us," the wizard muttered through clenched teeth, seeing a distant flash of light in the field, "we'll have to get to the Gate by foot."

 "Can't you at least teleport us down on the ground?" Marle whispered.

 "I can try, but your memories of that might be too blurred… run!"

    They rushed towards the east side of the city, after a few yards Janus teleported to the roof he had been standing on when he first saw his child version. They could hear Dalton and his men shout to each other as they sought the next track. There were many new warriors, the general must have been focused enough to get more people before they all teleported after the escapees.

 There! Crono hissed, pointing at the northern skyway.

    If they went to the southern one they would be seen and hunted down by teleporting soldiers, no doubt. Janus understood and sent the small group there. They dove inside for safety and jumped onto the pod, being sent down into the winter lands.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire…"

    Protected by the spell they ran into the cold snowstorm.

 "Whatever would we do without you, Janus?" Marle gratefully sighed as they hurried on just to be safe.

 'I'm starting to ask myself that too,' Flea commented, 'geez, however did our troop make it this far without you, Janus?'

    He aimed the last part towards the Prince; his Janus, of course.

 '"Our" troop?' the Prince repeated, rather amused to common surprise.

 'You know what I mean, cutie.'

 "I actually think you'd be in less danger right now," Janus grunted, "technically, that is…"

 Yeah, we'd be captured already, Crono mildly said.

 "Point there, I suppose."

    Janus even chuckled a bit and stopped, making Marle and Crono do the same.

 "The storm will give us even more cover," he said, "I need just a moment's search through your minds…"

    It took him a couple of seconds, but in Marle's memory he found a dead tree she had seen on the way through the winter lands together with Crono and Frog. That was all he needed to focus on, it was not too close to the Gate cave.

    Once again they teleported and landed in the snowstorm several miles away from their last position. Using a compass Crono wisely had brought with him during the travels they found the right direction and hurried off, the snow quickly covering their trail and protecting against the men that had to spend several hours searching in vain.


	18. Locked out, coming home

Chapter 18, Going home

 The wind howled and tore at the ragged earth, but somehow it couldn't reach three small figures walking over the snowy plains.

 "We should reach the cave in half an hour or so," Marle said, almost a little too hopeful to be believable.

    Nobody minded much, though. It was no trying walk as they were all perfectly protected against the cold, the snow was a little hard to walk in but they were still living on the relief of getting away.

    After the Pawn had returned from successfully leaving a message to Schala - without telling just exactly who he was, she had thought it was the grown Janus she had seen earlier – there were finally a full set of spirits in Janus' head again. 

    If still one too many to wish for.

 'I'm waitiiing,' Flea finally said after a long silence.

    Janus deeply sighed, but the howling wind drowned it.

 'Fine,' he grunted, 'thank you for helping us back there.'

 'You're welcome,' the Mystic said with a lovely smile.

    The wizard grunted something, as did his two versions.

    They all walked in silence for a while. Then suddenly the Pawn sighed.

 'Fine, I give up,' he said, 'Flea?'

 'Yes, cutie?'

 'I have the time and nerve to ask now, might as well use it. _Why_ do you look like that?'

    The silence following was broken by Flea's finger snapping.

 'You just made me loose a bet to Ozzie!' he sighed.

 'Oh woe and horror…' the Prince said and rolled his eyes.

 'I was sure the wizard here would be the first to ask,' the magician groaned.

 'I was about to, but he bet me to it,' Janus smirked, 'I've been wondering too. Why the heck _do_ you look like that?'

 'Heh…'

    Flea nervously scratched his chin, uncharacteristically. 

 'You're going to laugh,' he finally said.

 'Try us,' the Prince said with a faint smirk.

 'Alright, but don't tell anyone.'

    The monster grimaced.

 'I had two reasons,' he said, 'first…'

    Marle and Crono looked up in surprise as they heard a choked sound and saw Janus trying to muffle a laugh with one hand.

 What? Crono asked.

 "Oh nothing," Janus said, his voice hardly steady with the suppressed laughter, "I just thought of something funny. Never mind."

 "Alright," Marle shrugged, focusing on walking.

    She was a bit too tired to bother about humor for the moment. Though she was happy to have gotten away, the past day was starting to eat on her. Crono glanced at her and offered her his hand for some new strength. She smiled gently at him and accepted the touch.

    Meanwhile, three voices were still laughing, suppressed and otherwise.

 'And secondly my eyesight was fading so I had to do something to keep from going blind!' Flea shouted to be heard over the noise.

 'Ha!' the Prince almost yelled with laughter, 'it doesn't surprise me the least either!'

 'Now you're being plain mean!' the Mystic pouted.

 'You can't blame us!' the Pawn smirked through two explosions of laughter.

 'Hey! Respect, somewhere?!'

 'Not around here, Flea.'

 'What do you expect? You are "so damn ugly as a man"?' Janus snickered.

 'I told you you'd laugh…' Flea grumbled and sourly crossed his arms.

    Trying not to chuckle the royal wizard walked on through the snow storm towards the distant cave.

    Finally they saw the distant shadow of a cliff far a way and rushed forwards. More diving inside than anything else they found the dark orb waiting for them.

 "Finally…" Marle sighed with relief.

 "Have to agree on that," Janus said, absentmindedly painting the line of fire to get his staff to lean on.

    His body was grunting in protest at every movement now; he was tired.

 'When did I last sleep properly…?' he tiredly thought.

 'Not since we showed up,' the Prince replied.

 'Not a few days before that either, with my restlessness about missing the crew when they came to save Leene.'

    Janus grimaced and stretched his back.

 You alright? Crono asked, holding the Gate key in his hand.

 "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need some decent rest…"

 "You better stick to the plan and go back to Guardia for a couple of days while we go talk to that guru you mentioned," Marle kindly said, "you've been working non-stop lately."

    Janus smiled a bit, tiredly.

 "You're right, I better go home."

Three exhausted figures stumbled out of the pillar of light, almost crashing on the dark floor.

 "You're back?!" Lucca's voice shouted from somewhere ahead, followed by running steps.

 "Fresh and alive…" Marle grunted, leaning against the dark fence.

 "What happened, did thee come to blows with someone?" Frog wondered, giving Janus some support as the wizard crouched against his staff.

 "Yeah, Janus' daddy sure is persistent!" the princess said with a sigh.

 "Much alike him," the knight mildly said.

    Janus just grimaced at that.

 No, we're fine, we just pressed ourselves a bit too much through the snowstorm to get back, Crono calmed everyone.

 "Hello, prince Janus," an old man's voice gently said.

    The wizard looked up and frowned. But that soon melted into a recognizing smile.

 "Gaspar, what are you doing here?"

 "Not much," the old guru smiled back and took his hand, "watching over time, mostly."

 'Had to leave a couple of surprises behind, didn't I?' the Pawn said with a faint smile.

 "You know each other?" Lucca asked, raising an eyebrow.

 "The Guru of Time," Janus said, smiling.

 "Not a trace of them, lord Dalton…" the soldier fearfully said.

 "Hmm…"

    To the warrior's relief the lord didn't seem as angry as he had feared. Instead, he was looking around the field, thoughtfully.

 "They're clever…" Dalton muttered to himself. 

    The track had just ended, searching in the snow down there was rather pointless. But he wasn't going to give up that easily, those insects would pay dearly.

    Something wasn't right here… not only that he was very curious about the truth. There was something more present…

    The grass was clean of human works.

    He smiled coldly.

    Maybe…

    He leaned down and touched the grass, then smirked.

 "Here we go…"

    And he followed the trace that the staff had left behind as it was summoned.

 "… Though there's no real need, we'll need his help sooner or later."

 "You're well informed, prince," Gaspar complimented, mildly.

 "I had a good teacher," Janus said with a chuckle.

 'Should have thought you some things about self-sacrifice though,' the Pawn grunted, not too serious however.

 'Well now… huh?'

    He looked around at a hissing sound.

 "Strange thing!" Ayla howled, jumping up and down nervously.

 "What's happening?" Marle called.

 "The Gates are being closed by an external force," Robo beeped, concerned.

 "Dalton!" Janus and Gaspar growled, both diving at the magical portals.

    The light was steadily falling from all of the pillars, soon the time travelers would be completely locked in.

 "Oh no you don't you one-eyed dog!" Gaspar snarled, stretching his arms straight aside.

    Janus mirrored his movements and they both began chanting in low voices.

    The light shivered and for a moment the pillars rose and fell until two of them suddenly went out completely and the rest flared up for a second. The two magicians sighed in relief.

 "He got the ones to Zeal, but we stopped him from sealing the rest," the guru reported.

 Well, I suppose we do need that other guru's help right away… Crono commented.

 'This isn't good, boys…'

 "Urgh…" 

    Janus swayed back and forth for a moment until everyone closed in to give him support. He faintly smiled through a veil of exhaust.

 "The wizard Janus is suffering from extreme loss of rest," Robo informed, "breakdown estimated to occur within ten hours."

 'That sounded familiar,' the Pawn said with a roll of his eyes.

 'Indeed…' the Prince agreed.

 "When did you last sleep?" Gaspar demanded.

 "I was unconscious when I got to Zeal…"

 Frog, bring him back to Guardia, will you? Crono suggested, we'll go to the future.

 "Thy request is a wise one," the knight said.

    He smiled faintly and continued:

 "Powers of the world, I bid of thee to lend me the power of Water. Na matala sela."

    Janus straightened up and smiled down at the swordsman as the healing stars reenergized him a little. It wasn't top notch but he was proud of his friend for learning.

 "Let us leave this for a moment of history," Frog kindly said, "thou hast done more than anyone possibly could ask of thee in the past few days."

 "And my reward is to be shredded and roasted alive by Lai," Janus dryly smirked, "thanks a lot."

    They just chuckled then, the lot.

And thus, a plate went broke in the castle's dining room. It was rather packed and everything went silent at the sudden sound, surprised glances being thrown at the reason for the crash.

 'Can you hear me, Lai?'

    A hand clutched a flame-shaped gem.

 "Janus?!" the young woman shouted, bringing the whole room to its feet.

 'Frog and me are on our way, we'll be in town in half an hour or so,' the mental voice of the wizard softly announced.

 "They're coming back! He's alive!" Lai called with overwhelming relief so loud half the castle heard it, "_damn_, he's back!"

    If the other occupants of the building had not heard the female magician's cheer, they could not by any chance have missed the common rejoicing following her voice.

    About one hour later Leene's guardian and Janus the royal wizard came through Guardia forest.

 "Oh no, I hate that…" the blue-hair groaned as the two sighted the castle gates.

 "Come on now, hero," Frog smirked and dragged him on towards the assembled crowd.

 'Yeah, be a man!' Flea snickered.

 'You're one to talk!'

 'Well ow…'

    The knight hardly had time to finish the sentence before the relieved soldiers, servants, advisors, Majesties and various other inhabitants of the castle rushed to meet them.

 'I _hate_ it when they put me in the center!' Janus tiredly grunted in his thoughts.

 'Straighten up and be a royal wizard, young man,' the Prince cruelly smirked.

    Janus rolled his eyes and then he had to try to keep breathing among all the worried questions and relieved smiles.

 "Don't thank me for anything!" he shouted to be hard through all the other voices and easily threw a short friend up onto his right shoulder, "I would have been dead if it hadn't been for Frog and his friends!"

 "My gratitude," Frog dryly hissed from the corner of his lips.

    He didn't exactly like being in the center of so much attention either.

 "You asked for it," Janus snapped back in a low voice.

 "True."

    With a chuckle Frog swiftly leaped down on the ground as the crowd split for the king and queen.

 "You had us worried, Janus," the king said while both the knight and the wizard sat down on one knee in the grass to greet the royals.

 "I apologize, my liege," Janus said with a neutral voice.

 'Oh man, this guy is more whipped than you two ever were!' Flea groaned.

 'If it wasn't for the fact that you're tragically right you'd dearly regret that,' the Prince surprisingly calmly said.

 'Oh shut up, all of you,' Janus snorted, 'it's called respect and gratitude.'

 'It's all your fault!' Flea stated, accusingly pointing at the Pawn.

 'Now really, I just brought him here!' the one that had been enslaved defended himself, trying not to snicker.

 'Bad enough.'

 'Well your guardian angel version of this place could have done a better job then,' the Pawn said with twitching lips.

 'Am I suddenly to blame? I handle other time streams, here I am as innocent as a flower!' Flea snorted.

 'Excuse me while I laugh, again,' the Prince said in an expressionless voice.

    Janus just rolled his eyes, but as his head was lightly bowed nobody noticed.

 "Will you two tell us what happened?" king Guardia asked.

 "If you allow, I would prefer to rest for a while," Janus said, "what has happened in the past days have been very tiring on me."

 "I shall gladly tell thee all I know, my liege and friends," Frog offered, "Janus may fill in the details I lack knowledge of later, alas now he is in dire need of assembling his strength again."

 "But of course," the king kindly said, "go to your room and rest then, Janus. We'll send up a meal for you."

 "Thank you, Your Majesty," the wizard said and stood, nearly swaying again but managing.

    His green friend was about to stand up as well, but quickly sank back and watched the ground when another voice spoke.

 "Frog…" Leene gently said.

 "Your Majesty?" he said, swallowing hard.

 "You have proved yourself a great warrior in saving Janus from the Mystics," the queen said, "it would be an honor for me if you would once again be my guardian."

    For a moment Frog was silent, and the wizard towering above him was on the brink of sending him a silent threat of further body transformations when the big bulb eyes looked up.

 "I cannot deny thee my aid if thee truly wishes for it, my liege," he said in a little thick voice.

 "Thank you, Frog," the queen warmly said.

    Janus bent down and offered his friend his hand to straighten up. 

    Though he hadn't had much time to look around the wizard had a strong feeling that he wouldn't be able to see the face he missed the most among those that surrounded him.

    Lai hated crowds even more than he did, and he envied her slightly greater anonymity. Even though Janus was grown and had improved his liking for others he still had traces of the small prince left. 

 'I'm finally getting inside,' he sent out to her mind, wherever it was. 

 'About time,' she replied, and he smiled to himself.

 'I missed you too.'

 'You're dead, sweetheart.'

 'Thanks.'

 'I'll be there in a minute.'

It was with great relief the royal wizard finally made it to his room, threw the staff into it's corner with everyday practice and crashed on his bed.

 'Cozy, but I always thought a room just misses something without a few torches,' Flea happily commented.

 'I could always light a candle,' Janus grunted, 'that is, theoretically.'

    Out of habit he reached for his forehead to remove the headband, then remembered that he'd lost that in the Mystic castle, like his shirt. That had been mended by Melchior though. Lacking purpose his hand thudded onto the pillow beside his head.

 'Very theoretically…'

 'If you even try to chant in your state I'll have to rip your tongue out,' the Pawn informed.

 'Good idea.'

    Janus shifted a little with a grunt.

 'If an assassin shows up now I'm dead, end of story,' he muttered in his thoughts.

 'You're pretty dead anyway,' Flea briskly said one second before the door slammed into the wall.

    The staff and a few books that had been lying in a pile on the desk fell to the floor.

 "God, Lai!" Janus groaned and covered his eyes with a heavy hand, "spare my poor head…" 

 "Sorry."

 "What?"

    He blinked at her as she put the tray she had been carrying on the desk, closed the door and carefully began to assemble the mess of books.

 'I think we better take a look at what your friends in this world are doing,' the Prince emotionlessly said, mentally dragging Flea's spirit out of Janus' head by his crag.

 'No fun!' the Mystic pouted, but had he not allowed it the warlock wouldn't have been able to get him anywhere at all.

 'I think our old friend is getting softer minute by minute,' the Pawn mildly said as he also left.

 'Be careful, you hear?' Janus called after them.

 'Don't worry about us, bloodshed just bore us by now…'

 'Nice knowing you!' Flea teasingly shouted from afar.

 'Are they with me or not?' Janus wondered with a faint smirk.

    His head felt a bit empty without the three, but at least it was finally completely silent.

 "Hey now, Lai," he muttered, trying to get up to help her with the books.

 "You stay right there," she ordered, throwing the books into a neat heap.

 "Oh good, I thought you had lost it."

    She straightened up and glared at him.

 "Just how do you look?" she demanded, "you're pale as death itself!"

 "I just need some sleep, I'll be fine," he replied with a faint smile.

    Lai glared for a moment longer, then her expression suddenly softened.

 "What have they done to you, sweetheart?" she asked, much more gentle than before.

    Janus shook his head.

 "Not nearly half of all they wanted to do, have to be grateful of that."

 "Oh no, you're not giving me any of that crap."

    She marched over and grabbed his shoulders, pushing him back down on the mattress so she alone could sit on the bedside.

 "No subtle evasion, I want to know what happened," she said.

 "Why then, it's not that funny," Janus pointed out.

 "I know. It's so I can tear out  Slash's heart and shove it down Ozzie's throat while dancing on  Flea's rotting remains."

 'Hold me, she's scary!' Flea's voice squeaked somewhere distantly in Janus mind.

    This was followed by the Prince's _very_ irritated voice:

 'Get off me or I'll slice you up more thoroughly. And cut the damn anchor in his head!'

    Janus chuckled lightly, at all the voices, present or no. This caused Lai to smile a bit.

 "You know I'd do it too," she said.

 "Yeah, I know. You're a demon."

    The wizard put his hand under his head on the pillow.

 "Frog is telling the story now, isn't he?" he pointed out.

 "I don't give a damn about Frog's version. He wasn't with you all the time," Lai said, eying him more seriously.

 "Alright, anything for my student," Janus gently said with a small smile, "but don't gut me if I fall asleep halfway through."

    Lai smiled a bit, watching his weary, red eyes.

 "You should eat something before you fall asleep," she kindly suggested.

 "I can't eat and talk at the same time as I feel now."

 "Alright, then talk. Here though."

    He sat up leaning against the wall and accepted the glass of water that had been on the tray.

 "Well, I was tired after the battle with Slash and lack of sleep, so the mantis thing that Flea had made up last was faster than me," he began, "but it did make Frog change his mind about battling or not, quickly."

    It was natural knowledge that if she found out the truth about that, then she _would_ kill him.

    After emptying the glass Janus slipped further and further back on the mattress while his disciple kept listening. He fell asleep somewhere around his meeting with the others in Zeal, and as he was too heavy for her to move Lai wrapped the bedspread around him.

 "You're overdoing it, sweetheart," she softly mumbled and forced herself to simply kiss his forehead before straightening up.

    His blue hair gently tickled her cheeks as she moved. 

    She left the room without looking back.


	19. One knocked out wizard

Chapter 19, Ol' sins and other fun stuff

"Art thee awake?"

 "Awake, yes," Janus grunted, turning over and pulling the bedspread over his head against the sunrays torturing his head through the eyelids, "alive is another thing."

 "I'd almost be able to call you adorable when you're like that," Lai smirked, not really mean however.

 "Leave me alone…"

 "Aw, you big baby!"

 'Well you _are_ adorable!' Flea cheerfully said, clasping his hands stupidly.

    Before Janus had time to reply he felt a familiar weight swinging the mattress.

 "You sorta remind me of last New Years eve right now," Lai rather cruelly said after seating herself properly, "remember that?"

    The wizard ripped the bedspread away from his face and glared at her through half opened eyes.

 "Lai, now is _really_ a bad time…" he groaned.

 "I was not present, what happened?" Frog snickered.

 'Ohh, this sounds tasty,' Flea grinned, flashing his sharp teeth.

 'I think I'm getting a headache too, from all these surprises,' the Prince grunted with a sigh.

 'Now, now,' the Pawn said, 'you two are being too hard on him. He hasn't shocked us too badly for what, three days?'

 "Well, on New Years day our royal wizard looked much like he does now, and we almost lost him in a battle against three imps," Lai happily chuckled, "it was really pathetic."

 "_You_ were the one getting me drunk!" Janus defended himself, grunting at Flea's giggle and the Prince's groan.

 'Oh shut up…'

 "Oh dear…" Frog said, trying to hide his wide smirk with a way too small hand, "I take it the hangover nearly became thy demise as thee could not free thyself from it due to thy burning head?"

 "Precisely. Are you two here just to torture me or what?" Janus muttered, rubbing his eyes.

 "Bringing thy breakfast, the truth to be told," Frog informed.

 "How come you need two people to…"

    Janus blinked.

 "Does the cook suddenly think I'm Ozzie?" he asked, slowly managing to work his way up in a sitting position.

 "As far as everyone knows you've been gone for two days and supposedly in the Mystic's castle until yesterday," Lai said, waving at the two new, loaded trays, "it's not believable that you were fed there."

 "I simplified the tale, if thee pardon me," Frog explained.

    Janus tried to smile a bit.

 "It was probably the best thing to do," he agreed.

 "Lai has revealed to me that she knows the truth," the knight continued, "therefore I know I can speak freely. Instead of mentioning thy two guardians and the Gate, I claimed that thee as a last resort released all power thou still had, thus causing the castle to crumble. Our escape seemed impossible, but as through wonder a path to the underground trail was ripped open in the dungeon and we rushed to safety before it collapsed."

 "Works for me," the wizard nodded with a faint smile.

 'What did you tell them about my abduction?' he sent to Frog's mind.

 'That the grasshopper was faster and stronger than thee had awaited, how come?' the knight replied.

 'Oh good, that's about what I told Lai. She'll definitely kill me if she finds out.'

 'Cherish it not yet, I still ponders whether to cut thy head off or not for it.'

 'Damn, I'm surrounded by enemies.'

    Their silent conversation ended when Lai rather forcefully placed one of the trays in Janus lap.

 "Ouff!"

 "Now eat," she stated, "and you shouldn't sleep in your clothes, come to think of it."

 "Too late for that now," Janus pointed out.

 "You're staying right here and sleep more after you've eaten, you're still exhausted," Lai ordered. 

 "Less we shall have to tie thee down," Frog agreed, "'tis an order from the king and queen."

 "Alright, alright…"

    With a rather dry smile Janus took the spoon and buried it in the mountain of porridge. 

    Though it was some time since he had eaten properly there was no possibility that the wizard ever could have finished off all the food that had been brought up. Frog and Lai stayed and chatted for a little while about common things, avoiding the subject of the Mystics and future plans quite well. When Janus couldn't eat anymore the two friends took the trays and left him alone to rest.

 'One could think they were feeding me up for slaughter,' he chuckled in his thoughts as he stood and almost stepped on his thrown-off boots on the floor.

 'No use,' Flea thoughtfully said, 'I'd say you'd be way too leathery… well, cooking for a few hours and…'

 '_Flea_!' three almost identical voices growled.

 'Eh, nothing…'

 'I suppose I asked for that one,' Janus sighed while searching through the pile of books.

    He found the one he wanted and headed back to bed, throwing the bedspread away and lifting the blanket.

 'Now what did your morbid student tell you?' Flea pointed out.

 'No way am I taking off anything with you watching,' the wizard snorted.

 'I'm a _man_, remember?'

 'I rest my case.'

    Janus leaned the pillow against the wall to get something softer to lean against as he heavily sat down and opened the book. For a start the text was just a precaution for the possibility that somebody would come in during the silent talk, though. Just sitting there in the bed doing nothing wasn't like the royal wizard at all.

 'So, are they up to something?' he asked, more grave than just a moment ago.

 'They've moved to their second stronghold,' the Prince reported, 'you might have some more troubles taking them out than we had, as almost the whole army was saved. A big part of the monsters seems to have gone disillusioned and given up, however.'

 'I don't see what they're complaining about,' Flea snorted, 'in my experience they were all dead or at least halfway there by now. Not that it's as bad as everyone thinks, still…'

 'Just regrouping, then?' Janus summed up.

 'Pretty much,' the Pawn nodded, 'at this point you can be fairly calm, they don't know that you're back yet and Flea probably don't feel like sacrificing any leftover warriors as assassins in the current situation.'

 'Well, that's a relief.'

    Janus rubbed his forehead.

 'I wouldn't stand a chance against any of them right now either.'

 'You sure have a nasty headache here,' the Pawn said with a frown.

 'With a stupid hairdo,' the Prince nodded.

 'I am not a headache!' Flea stated, stomping his foot in anger which only caused Janus to wince.

 'Watch it!' he grunted.

 'No really, you should sleep,' his teacher stated, 'put that book away, there's no telling when they'll come to get you and Frog back. Use the time.' 

 'You're right…'

    Janus put the book aside and laid down again.

 "Wake up, wizard!"

 "Not _again_!"

    The blue-haired warrior grunted and rubbed his eyes with one hand.

 "Now what?" he sighed.

 "You're sleeping in your clothes again!" Lai scolded.

 "You'd do that too if you were in my situation…"

 "What?"

 "Never mind…"

    Janus stretched his arms with a sigh.

 "What is it?" he asked.

 "They're coming to get you," Lai grunted, pointing at the door with her thumb.

 "Fine, I'm coming."

    It took him a few moments to get to the bedside; his whole body felt lightly said heavy.

 "Offhand," Lai said while the wizard before her rubbed his neck, "have you slept since Frog and I were here with your breakfast?"

 "Yes," he muttered, "why?"

 "It's past lunchtime now. And the next day."

    Janus groaned something, rubbing his forehead.

 "You're definitely overdoing it, sweetheart."

 "Yeah, I know," he grimaced and stood, "but I'll be fine in a moment."

    Lai rolled her eyes but nodded.

 "Alright, I'll tell them that. But the king and queen aren't happy."

    Janus looked up at her.

 "And you?" he carefully asked.

 "I think you're a self-sacrificing bastard."

    She suddenly grabbed his crag and tore him up to her eye level. Despite the fact that Janus didn't exactly have a chance to gain balance due to the fast move he didn't fall. Lai held him still and more or less hanging.

 'She's stronger than she looks,' the Prince acknowledged.

 'Amen to that,' Flea agreed with raised eyebrows.

 "And then you'll be bloody done with the whole damn thing and leave here forever, you accursed creep!" Lai snarled.

    Janus finally got a grip of gravity and straightened up. That was, until Lai forced him to bend his back the bit needed instead.

 "Face me when I'm swearing at you, dammit!" she growled.

 'Spy mission, now,' Flea grunted and began to fade, 'I know, I know…'

 'You're getting the hang of it, yes,' the Pawn agreed as he and his mirror also left.

    Janus put his hands on Lai's shoulders and finally managed to make her let go.

 "I will never leave Guardia forever," he firmly said, "this is my home."

 "You can't promise that and you know it," Lai retorted.

 "I'll be damned if I go and die somewhere in the past or future."

    Lai shook her head, bitterly.

 "You self-righteous bastard…"

    And with that she encircled his neck with her arms and hugged herself tightly against the wizard. Janus let out a deep, bitter breath before he allowed his own arms to move around her back.

 "I'm sorry, Lai."

    He didn't feel much, but that was only because he forced every sparkle of warm emotion down so that none of them would be able to shoot needles into his soul.

 "Save Schala and the boy is just something I have to do," he muttered, "if it was you who were in trouble you know I'd come for you too."

 "Yeah, I know."

    She pulled away with a sigh, with a strange sort of relief watching his eyes flash with battling emotions.

 "It's not going to make me jump off a cliff in order to get you to make it up to me, but I know," she said, trying to smoothen what she'd just done a little.

    Janus managed to smile a bit, with a lot of effort.

 "It'll be alright, somehow," he said, not really believing himself.

 "Sure," Lai forced out, doing her best to keep up.

    She backed away and turned to leave.

 "I'll tell Frog and the others that you're on your way," she said and walked out.

    Janus heavily sighed.

 'Say…' Flea's voice thoughtfully said, a bit distant but fully audible, 'are you _sure_ she's Lucca's ancestor?'

 'There's too much pointing at it,' Janus bitterly said, 'her looks, her magic. She's got no siblings, her parents live in Truce. The only other relatives live in Choras, her uncle's family.'

 'Ah well. I'll leave you to changing clothes, then.'

    A few minutes later Janus walked down the stairs of the castle with his staff in hand, wearing a pair of blue pants and a darker shirt than before. 

 'Well. Here we go again.'


	20. Hardly worth to call it a chapter

Yep folks, this is a mini chapter. I've hit a slight Writer's block but I want to let you know the story is still alive.

Chapter 20 Stupid writer's block!!

Boots paced back and forth over a dirty cave floor, the walker getting nervous but grateful glances every now and then. 

    The Earthbound ones were assembled in the chief's cave, warming themselves by the magical fire that was feeding on a few rocks and filling their normally hungry stomachs with fine, healthy meat. Normally they were lucky to catch a sick wolf that they all shared, a massive beast from the dangerous lair below them was a feast born from dreams.

    Flea had gone on a rant about the beasts being primitive since they didn't dissolve like monsters normally would when dying, but few of the humans were complaining about the fact.

    Ayla, Marle and Crono were on their way to save Melchior, the pre-historian lady getting too bored to stay in the End of Time a minute longer.

 '… It's a waste and shame to let humans have our meat, that's why we dissolve! Sheez! Prehistorian! And another thing…'

 'Shut up…' the Prince sighed, absentmindedly.

 'It's disrespectful! I get no respect either! Damn…'

 'You eat, ate humans,' the Pawn mildly pointed out.

    Was he _listening_ to Flea?

 'It's just because you never evolved into the dissolving stadium,' the magician happily went on, 'besides, you're full of vitamins and stuff.'

 'I'll take your word for it.'

 'Why are you setting him off?' the Prince grunted.

 'It's better than to only have our youngster's worries to listen to.'

 'Good point.'

    Janus grunted.

 'Well, you know something is going to go the hell wrong!' he said, 'Dalton will get Schala somehow and most probably the boy too. It's meant to be, if not what else?'

 'Maybe you should keep away?' Flea said.

 'I can't she's counting on me. I couldn't anyway…'

 'I'd be careful. You've set off Dalton's interest, I bet he's itching to get you under fire.'

    Janus paced for a moment in silence.

 'I'll never get used to taking advice from you.'

 'Thank you, I try to make it stay like that!' Flea said with a cheeky smile.

 'The worst part is, I could take him out in fair battle, no question about that. We all could.'

 'But he never fights fair…' the Prince said.

 '… Because deep down he knows he'd loose,' the Pawn finished. 

    Janus held back a growl.

 'Summary,' he darkly said, 'Dalton _needs_ to bring Schala to the Mammon machine in the Ocean Palace, she _needs_ to awake Lavos so that the boy gets sent through time, because this time loop _needs_ to close.'

 'True.'

 'And Dalton always seems to win when he comes to get Schala.'

 'True.'

 'He gets his will through.'

 'True.'

 'Dammit.'

 'So true.'

 'Just great…'

 'There's no use in worrying,' the Prince stated in a voice reserved for direct orders, 'it'll just make you unfocused.'

 'But if you expect to get your pretty little ass behind bars again I bet it won't happen just since you believe it'll happen,' Flea briskly said and earned a few rolling eyes, 'it's the way the story goes.'

'Now I _really_ don't want to take your advices…'

'Well, go me!'

    Janus grunted and headed for the exit.

 "Don't worry about me," he said over his shoulder, "I'll just go to meet Schala."

    The Earthbound ones nodded in silence, as they were rather thunderstruck with what the blue-haired man and his friends already had accomplished for them.


	21. Spirit food

Janus: "Why do you put me through this?"

Weiila: "I had to do it _somehow_! Sorry, I don't like it that much either."

Janus: *sighs* "Oh well, could be worse I suppose."

Magus: "Oh yes, it sure could. Quit yapping and get in there."

Chapter 21, Trap of Lavos

Protected as he was by his spells, the storm didn't concern the royal wizard much. The other, mental wind did however, no matter how he tried to shake it off. The black wind was howling and crying in his mind all the while, knowing that disaster approached.

 'I know, damn it! Will you shut up?'

 _So many deaths… wasted for their own selfish goals, it's terrible, terrible…_

    Janus grimaced and walked on. Listening to Flea commenting on his memories actually became a nice change as he didn't have much else to do than listen to the voices trying to overpower each other inside his mind.

 'What was your Flea thinking? This one is even more horrible, he's got no style!'

 'Ah, that,' Janus thought about the furry creature, 'quite nasty indeed.'

 'What the heck is it supposed to be? Lizards doesn't have hair!'

 'He seemed to like lizards.'

 'Geez… and this one, what in Magician's name…?'

 'Now that's the strangest one yet,' the Pawn acknowledged.

 'No, it's still better than that last one,' the Prince stated.

    And so on. The whole discussion was most certainly based much on the fact that they all were growing tired with listening to the black wind.

    Janus smirked a bit at the whole argument and looked up, through the snow finally seeing two shadows in the distance.

 "Glad you could make it," Janus softly said as his and Schala's fire spells merged around the three humans and the cat, doubling the protection against the snowstorm.

 "Dalton and mother have been acting strange, I think they know something…" she said in a low voice, nervously taking his hands.

    He nodded. 

 "The one-eyed scum almost caught me and my friends as we left the palace," he told her, guessing that she hadn't been informed, "and the timelines are against us. Dalton usually gets his way."

 "Let us try to break it, then," she said with a hint of the bravery she'd fully awaken soon enough.

    Janus nodded and let go of her sitting down on one knee in the ankle high snow to look at the boy.

 "Are you alright?" he asked.

 "Yeah…" the child mumbled, hugging Alfador tightly though.

 "You'll be fine, I promise."

    The wizard smiled faintly, then closed his eyes and mumbled the teleporting spell, bringing them back to the chief's cave. 

    The earthbound ones almost fell over of the surprise, along with Crono, the two blond ladies and Melchior.  

 "What was that?" Schala asked, almost sharply looking at Janus, "that wasn't a human spell…"

    He shook his head with a slight grimace.

 "Alas," he said, "my teacher passed on spells learnt from a monster."

    Schala opened her mouth again, but everyone else came in between.

 "Janus!"

 "Princess Schala, prince Janus, why have you come to this filthy cave?"

 "Princess?!"

    All pretty much at the same time.

 "Melchior, what are you doing here?" Schala asked, smiling.

 'Here we go again…' Flea briskly said.

    Janus ignored the magician and glanced at the prince from the corner of his eye. The child shuffled over to a corner, hugging his pet even closer and looking quite tense.

 'Better keep an eye on him,' the wizard concluded.

 'Hmm…' the Prince said.

 'What's "hmm"?' Janus asked, tensing and mentally reaching for his staff.

 'It's just strange that she… never mind, it's nothing.'

 'No, what?' the Pawn frowned.

    The Prince shook his head.

 'She probably just didn't hear the chief call his home filthy. It's nothing.'

 'You mean about her comf…'

 "You have to stop… my mother."

    Janus made a warning gesture to his fellow time travelers and turned towards the entrance.

    Three, two, one…

 "Well, well, well…"

    Dalton stepped through the cave opening. The earthbound ones pressed themselves against the wall, knowing him all too well from stories.

 "What do we have here?" he said with a smirk, "a treacherous princess and a man who calls himself Cyrus. Delighted to see you again."

    He looked past the wizard, even though Janus had spent the little threat speech bringing forth his staff. 

 "And you, my dear," he said, "your mother will hear about this, once we're in the Ocean Palace."

    Janus heard the shuffling of Schala's robes as she backed.

 "Can it already," the wizard growled and warningly changed the grip of his staff, "you're not getting her as long as I stand here."

 'Might as well challenge fate while I'm in a good position for it,' he grunted with a mental roll of his eyes.

 "You stand there, eh?" Dalton said with a smirk, "will you finally tell me your name, or do I have to put you inside a proper pyramid?"

 "No need for that," Janus said with the hint of a sneer, "you may know now, as you found out last I was in this cave, thirteen years of my lifetime ago."

    Dalton perked an eyebrow, and his gaze slowly but steadily wandered towards the corner where the prince now stood, hatefully glaring at him.

 "Janus, get over there, it's safer," the wizard said, gesturing deeper into the cave.

    The prince hesitated for a moment before he hurried over to the more crowded area, even if he most certainly didn't like it.

 'Behind Schala, of course,' the Prince reported as Janus didn't feel like looking around, 'not the best pick but better.'

 "What was that supposed to mean?" Dalton suspiciously said.

 "I think you've figured it out already," the wizard said with the dry sneer, "I am Janus, from the future."

    He lashed out his staff and Dalton took a step backwards before he could stop himself as one of the blades stopped just a few inches from his chest.

 "And don't you even bother to give me that pathetic speech about me not really wanting to kill you due to Zealan belief about spilling own blood," the wizard said in a hiss, "I know who you are to me and I don't give a damn. You don't have anything against killing your own son, so why should I care about my father?"

    There was a murmur of surprise behind him. Dalton's sole eye narrowed.

 "So, so… Janus, you say?" he said, once again shifting between interest and anger.

 "I see you still don't quite believe what I say," the grown prince said, helplessly a bit amused.

 "It does seem more believable than your Cyrus tale," the general admitted, eying the man before him, "but you're nothing like the little brat I know."

 "I know."

    Had Frog or any other of the friends of the wizard seen Janus' smirk, they would have begun wondering who he was. Luckily, only Dalton and the spirits did see. 

 'There's hope for you yet,' the Prince mildly said while the general moved into a defensive stance.

 'Blasphemy. And there's no room to fight in here.'

 "How about we explore the differences between him and me, Dalton?" he said aloud though, and the smirk was hinted in his voice.

    But only hinted, less he'd make his friends quite nervous.

    Dalton growled something and threw out his hand, hurling a fireball against the wizard. Janus leaped backwards and swung his staff, sending the attack into the wall and thus harming none. 

 "This is how its done!" he snarled, "na farey tlo!"

    The staff hit the ground and a second later Dalton furiously chanted a water spell to put out the flames in his cloak. Janus just stood there, tapping his foot scornfully while his father spat curses over him.

    Finally the general managed to save his clothes and glared at the wizard.

 "You'll regret that dearly," he promised in a growling voice.

 "If I had a coin for every time an idiot like you had said that to me…" Janus snorted and got back in fighting stance, "you started it, don't blame me."

 "Trust me," Dalton said and raised his hands, "this is the final time you hear it."

 'Same fool as ever…' Janus thought with a roll of his eyes, this time ready and with pure will smashing the three walls trying to catch him.

 'Hey…' the Prince suddenly growled.

 "What are you doing, Schala?!" Marle shouted.

 "_Aaargh_!"

    The staff clanked against the floor as Janus' feet left it, his arms pressed down along his body by turquoise, flaring ropes erupting from Schala's hands.

 'What the hell?!'

    Melchior and the earthbound ones stumbled away from the princess as her beautiful features turned cruel in a sinister smirk, followed by a cold laugh free of any pity.

 'This is bad, really, really bad!' Janus growled through the searing pain, more commenting on his own foolishness than the situation.

 'Guys, sad to say it but we majorly suck,' Flea growled, 'can't even tell Schala from her mother…'

 'I can't believe we didn't notice it!' the Pawn roared in outrage. 

 'She's clever,' the Prince snarled, 'or rather, he is.'

    The purple robes melted to a heavy cloak and the thick blue curls straightened out as queen Zeal revealed herself. The small prince Janus didn't move, staring at nothing with empty eyes. The cat in his grip seemed pretty lifeless as well.

 'This is ridiculous, we should have been able to sense it!' the Pawn growled.

 'I guess we were focusing on Dalton a little too much,' Flea grunted, grimly shaking his head, 'there're flaws in our tactic…'

    Janus couldn't reply as he couldn't straight any longer. Faintly he saw his three companions get ready to attack the queen, but she looked around at them with a smirk.

 "Stone age," she snickered, "oh please, don't give me any trouble and your friend here might even live for another five minutes."

 'I… can't… believe… I… did… it… _again_!' cracked its way through Janus' melting brain as Crono ruefully sheathed his sword, Marle lowered her bow and Ayla sunk down on all four like a panther, hissing.

 'Well, it wasn't on purpose this time, at least,' the Prince grunted, moving his hands in a complicated pattern.

    Janus' skin suddenly turned numb as his oldest mirror snapped his fingers. The pain was still there, but it seemed it couldn't really reach him.

 'Thanks…'

 'I experimented with a painkiller after a meeting with a dragon,' the Prince grunted, 'now, how are we getting you out of this one?'

 'I guess something just will have to come up… crachert!' Janus growled as his parents stepped up in front of him, both smirking evilly.

 "When Schala and Janus suddenly disappeared it wasn't hard to realize something was going on," Dalton smugly explained without questioning, "and they weren't exactly moving quicker than my men could catch up with. Then it wasn't hard to guess where they had been going, even if they wouldn't talk."

    Janus could only try to look like he was still in pain, glaring at the two through slit eyelids.

 'Prisoner again…' he bitterly thought.

 "Sometimes you better do things by yourself," the queen said in a dangerously soft voice, raising her hand, "my own Janus, all grown up… fascinating…"

    Her hand felt like a set of daggers against his forehead.

 'Guys, I have a bad feeling,' Flea hissed, 'really ba_aaaugh_!' 

 'Flea!' the Prince shouted, then his voice too turned into a roar of pain.

 "And just what is this?" Zeal said, intrigued.

    Twitching in agony the spirits were torn out of Janus' head, encircled by the same kind of lightning as him. Many gasps of shock were heard, but three of them were aimed only at the Mystic.

 "This is just getting more and more intriguing I say," Zeal smirked

 "It's not doing much of a change but I'm very glad Frog isn't here…" Flea cringed, snarling as he tried to break free.

 "Can you be serious just for one single second?!" the Pawn growled.

 "I'm not…"

    Flea's voice trailed off as his former leader let out a slurring groan and fell over, if that was the word in his tied up state. The queen's hand floated above the heavy blue stream that was his hair.

 "Hey!" the pink skinned magician snarled, "get your grubby hands off him!"

 "This one is weaker," the queen purred, ignoring Flea completely.

    The Prince's head went up due to the queen's grip of his chin. His eyes were closed.

 "Still quite… tasty."

 "Lavos…"

    The hoarse whisper was hardly audible, and also quite needless. 

    Flea's eyes caught a dangerous glow deep below the grimace of pain.

 "I said," he growled, "get your hands off my Janus you parasite!"

 "Aren't we perky?" Dalton scornfully said.

 "We're perky and I spent a good part of eternity chewing on my fingers for his sake, I'm not even talking to you!" the magician snapped.

    His easily said improper for the situation and silly behavior caused everyone to be caught off guard as he suddenly shot forward through the air and tackled the queen away from the Prince. She stumbled backwards with a growl.

 "Urgh…"

    Shaking his head the old king of Mystics regained his senses.

 "Ain't leaving ya hanging now," Flea muttered with a tiny smile before Dalton swatted him away like a big fly.

 "Now!" Janus shouted. 

    With a growl Crono leaped forwards and clung his arm around Zeal's shoulders while pressing his katana against her neck. She snarled as the cold metal touched her skin and even Dalton was caught off guard, staring at the youngster who had managed to get a deadly grip of the queen.

 You might be able to electrify me with one movement, Crono growled, but I'll most possibly be able to cut you before that...

 'Let's just hope Lavos doesn't realize that the boy probably can't bring himself to do it like that…' Janus thought, mentally wincing.

 "What are you doing, parasite?" the Prince scorned, even if his voice was hoarse, "risking your fine vessel?"

    Zeal growled.

 "You will come for your precious sister in any case," she said with a dangerous glistening in her eyes, watching Janus, "then I will have you all!"

    She snarled the teleportation spell and Crono stumbled forwards as she disappeared. With a short Zealan curse Dalton followed her, glaring at Janus.

    The ropes disappeared and the four that had been bound thumped against the floor, in the wizard's case gasping for air. That had been quite a strain.

 "Managed to keep him away from you at least," Janus grunted to his old teacher, who grimly nodded as he stood.

 "Wouldn't have been pretty if he had sensed himself inside of my mind. I've got to find Molor and get rid of him soon…"

 "Uh, Janus…?" Marle's voice said.

    He looked up.

 "Yeah, hello to you too," Flea said with a grimace, leaning his head in his palm with the elbow on his bent knee cutely.

    Janus sighed.

 "Not a _word_ to Frog, understand?" he grunted, "he'd go ballistic if he knew I'm walking around with that in my head."

 "I am not a 'that'!"

    The Prince stood with a rather dangerous growl.

 "He managed to disguise her as Schala, and now he knows we're here," he said, "pathetic!"

 "At least we got out of there, thanks Crono," Janus muttered, trying to smile a bit at the young man who still glared suspiciously at Flea.

 "We'll have to hurry," the Pawn grimly said, "or he _will_ take his chance to kill the boy as he knows that he's a threat."

 "Why is Flea here?" Marle asked.

 "He's different from the one you know," Janus calmed his friends.

 "Nobody's feeding anyone to Lavos in this time stream either," the Prince growled and threw an irritated glance aside, "not even Flea."

    The magician looked up with a silly smile and wide open eyes. 

 "Oh, my lord," he cooed, "I didn't know you cared!"

 "And if you call me _that_ again I'll make sure Lavos chokes on you," he frostily replied.

 "Call you what?" Flea innocently said, "you mean 'my Janus'? Hurk!"

 "You. Heard. Me."

 "Yessir!"

 "Good. Now, we don't have time for this, the boy is already in danger."

    Still holding Flea's throat in one hand the Prince disappeared back into Janus' head, followed by his mirror. The wizard looked at his friends, reaching out for his staff.

 "I'll explain on the way through the Ocean palace, I promise!" he said, urgently, "but we have to hurry now or the prince and Schala might die!"

 Hanging around with you is quite freaky, Crono said with a smirk as he sheathed his sword, but it sure never gets boring… let's go, people!

    Marle and Ayla nodded, determined. 

 "Wait a second," Melchior mildly said, reaching into his robes, "this should be able to help you."

    He pulled out a dagger with a strangely reddish blade. Crono took it with a questioning look.

 "It's made in the same material as the Mammon machine," the guru explained with a smile, "it might help you. Good luck everyone, you're our only hope now."

 We'll do our best, Crono grimly promised.

    He put the dagger in his belt and exchanged glances with his friends.

 Let's go, Janus.

 "Alright…"

 'You'll do your best, all right,' the wizard sadly thought, clenching his teeth as he began muttering the spell, concentrating on Schala's room in the palace.

 "And Janus better tell Ayla and other what monster do in his head or Ayla will have to cave it in!" the cave woman stated as the light swept around them and the earthbound ones called their good lucks.

    Janus smiled a bit.

 "I will, I will…"


	22. The Ocean Palace

Chapter 22, The fun has just begun…

"… A headache was the best name for Flea as of yet!" Marle called from behind as the four dashed through the eerie lit corridors of the Ocean Palace.

    Seeing the magician's head pop out of Janus' back was a quite disturbing sight, even if he was much smaller that normal.

 "I am _not a headache_!"

    A human hand reached out and grabbed his crag.

 "Get back in here you idiot," the Prince's voice snapped and his hand ripped.

 "Hurk!"

 Eww… Crono winced.

 "What?" Janus said over his shoulder.

 Nothing…

 "Ayla think this strange," the cavewoman stated, running on all four like an animal as usual. 

    Janus never managed to get a grip of how a human moving like Ayla did could look natural.

 "I'm not too fond of it either," the wizard grunted.

 I wonder how Frog would react if he found out… Crono thoughtfully smirked.

 "Better not…"

    They entered a fairly circular room. On the floor was two dark orbs and the roof… was nowhere in sight. 

 "Will it hold us?" Marle nervously asked as she saw the floor swing lightly with Janus' steps. 

 "Don't worry, it's an elevator," he calmed her and the other two warriors. 

    Not that Ayla knew what an elevator was, but as the others seemed calmer she trusted them.

    Cautiously the non-Zealans stepped on.

 "We're near now," Janus grimly said, "be ready for anything."

 "Okay!"

 'What about you?' the wizard thought.

 'I'm not sure,' the Pawn grunted, 'getting close to Lavos might not be the wisest thing for us to do. But if we leave you now we won't be able to come along when you follow the boy. If he's still alive.'

 'He has to be!' Janus growled.

 'We have to hope so. But it's reality that the big hedgehog might not want to take risks.'  

 'Back on topic boys!' Flea said, frowning and sounding quite serious however, 'we'll have to think about your recent allergy to him, m'lord. You know how you reacts after all that happened back home.'

    Janus touched the orb closest to him while the Prince muttered something in reluctant agreement. It sparkled slightly in bright blue and the floor swung before starting to quickly descend. They had hardly gotten ten yards before a group of scouts in different colors and a couple of creatures with peculiar hoods materialized. It was questionable whether the latter foes were human or not.

 Janus, you handle the red scouts and Marle the blue, Ayla, you and me take care of those… things! Crono shouted as they all grabbed their weapons (or raised their fists).

 "Got it!"

 'Can you hide somewhere deeper inside my mind?' the wizard thought even as he chanted, aiming for the flyers. 

 'I don't think it would help,' the Prince says, 'he'll most certainly look for us at any given chance and sense us anyway.'

 'Is there nothing I can do to shield you?'

 'Not sure how that would work, unless you can think of something.'    

 'We have a problem here. Uhuh. Yeah…?'

    Janus thought he heard Flea mutter to himself, but had to concentrate on battling the yellow scout that tried to latch onto his face. In the next heartbeat a lightning bolt zapped the cretin and it dissolved in a puff of smoke.

 'See? Those are _evolved_!' Flea absentmindedly huffed.

 'Who are you talking to?' the Pawn suspiciously asked.

 'Wasp, my great, great, great, great grandmother,' said with an alarming smile, 'take or add a great, I loose track.'

 'And she has any ideas in this matter?'

    The Prince's voice had a quite wary tone. Flea's fists hit his hips.

 'Why my lord!' he said in a stupidly mock shocked voice, 'don't you trust me after all I've done for you?'

    Marle's arrows got the last hooded creature and the four continued downwards in peace.

 'You still have a sea of deeds to make up for before I'll consider trusting you,' the Prince stated, 'especially when your eyes glisten like that.'

    Flea pouted and floated closer to his old leader, who suspiciously eyed him.

 'My lord, you will just have to learn to trust your old _teacher_!'

    On the last word his hand fell down on the Prince's shoulder. 

    Janus more felt than saw the flash that erupted from the spirit. Flea leaped at the Pawn, who still stood blinded by the magic force and fell to the same fate.

    The magician's hands clenched into fists around something very small.

 'Gotcha!'

 'What are you doing?!' Janus shouted in his thoughts, his frail trust in the mystic wavering violently.

 'Relax, cutie.'

    Flea unclenched his hands and swept them over each other. Then he held up his right hand for Janus' inner eye. He kept two glistening pearls between three of his fingers.  

 'They'll be safe like this,' he explained and grimaced, 'but they'll sure be sour when they get out of there.'

 'Think they'd prefer being warned before you do something like that,' Janus pointed out in a calmer voice than earlier.

 'Ahh, that's a good idea. I'll do that next time,' Flea nodded with a chuckle.

    He opened one of the pouches in his belt and neatly dropped the two pearls into it.

    Janus shook his head with a light sigh.

 'What about you then?' he asked.

 'I think I'll be alright. My mind has no weak point in that parasite and I haven't got him inside of my head either.'

 'Let's hope so then.'

 'Aww, Janus, you care too?'

 'Don't push me.'

    The elevator reached the bottom and the passengers hurried onwards, knocking everyone getting in the way aside.

 'By the way, haven't you learned to float?' Flea said in a casual voice.

 'Float?'

 'Ah, I guessed your teacher didn't learn. You'll need to take a rather wide leap soon, this should do it less complicated…'

    Janus learned rather instantly that studying and running at the same time is a hard thing to do. He nearly went cross-eyed. Luckily Flea was done copying his knowledge within a couple of seconds.

 'I can't believe I'm taking lessons from you…' the wizard grunted.

 'You informally always did, cutie. Well, a version of me. In any case, here we go!'

 "Whoa!" Marle shouted as she almost crashed into Crono, who nearly sent Janus into a sea of molten metal. 

 There's got to be a button for a bridge here somewhere! the red-hair called. 

 "The Mammon hall is just ahead!" Janus growled and took a few steps back.

 "Jump that far?" Ayla skeptically said.

    Janus shook his head.

 "I'm not sure. But Flea seems to think I can fly, so let's try it out…"

 "_Jaaanus_!"

    But he rushed forwards and leaped on the hot edge, closing his eyes in concentration.

    For a moment he felt insecure, then the air around him slowed down and he opened his eyes to see the other side of the lake closing in safely.

 'You could have done it anyway,' Flea chuckled.  

 'Thanks, I guess.'

    Janus turned around as he landed, smiling a bit at his surprised but cheering friends. 

 "I'll be gone saving the boy," he called, "I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I'll return!"

 "Good luck, Janus!"

 "The same to you…"

    Clenching his teeth he turned to the open doorframe and dashed forwards, his feet leaving the ground as he sped up.

 "Go to hell, Dalton!" he growled as he passed through the following room, feeling the man hide but not caring to fight.

 'Oh, the look on his face!' Flea chuckled, 'though there's no use to ask someone to go below…'

    Janus ignored him and zoomed forwards, Lavos' presence ripping closer in torn waves.

 "If you don't let Janus go you'll never get my help!" Schala's voice screeched.

 "And if you don't help he'll die!" the queen snarled back.

    The royal wizard swung his staff at the guards on the bridge, sending them flying before they had time to realize what was happening.

 "_Zeal_!" he roared.

    All his life, all his training, all his worries, sacrifices and pain led up to this one moment.  

    Flea grimly smiled.

 'We're with you all the way, Janus.'

    Schala spun around and for a moment the prince stopped struggling against his guards. Even Alfador stopped hissing, trapped in a small cage behind the soldiers' feet. 

 "You could have chosen a wiser timing!" the queen growled and snapped her fingers. 

    The relieved glistening in the royal children's eyes wavered as the common Enlightened ones in the hall reached out and took each others' hands. They began to chant.

 'Janus, Lavos is trying to make you use magic,' Flea warned, 'he doesn't really need Schala at this point; if the Mammon machine manage to transfer just a little bit more of Shadow energy to him, his body will have enough power to move.' 

    For half a second Janus hesitated.

 'What would happen if he wouldn't show up now?' he wondered. 

 'Give me a second, I'll look it up to make sure… stall it somehow!'

 "Zealans!" Janus shouted, "if your god awakens today your kingdom will crumble and be swallowed by the ocean!"

    It affected a couple of the men and women, which halted the chanting for a brief moment.

 "Don't listen to him, you fools!" the queen snapped and got them started again, "he's a madman!"

    The whole list that Flea muttered took less than a heartbeat for Janus' mind to absorb, as the magician simply placed the information in the middle of his thoughts.

 'If neither you nor Schala does his bidding then Lavos will make the queen fire her dark energy at the prince in two blasts. He'll parry the first with his own powers but will of course collapse, and the second wave will kill him.'

 'Easy pick… crachert.'

 'Indeed.'

 'Crono, everyone, forgive me…'

 "Dark powers of the Underworld, I dare to ask thee of strength! Worch crahela krun shar retetack!"

    The Dark Mist flared towards the Mammon machine and stuck itself onto the statue's chest.

    For a moment time seemed to stop function.

 "At least it wasn't your fault this time, Schala," Janus said with a faint, bitter smile, now carrying hundreds of lives on his conscience.

    The darkness dissolved, sucked up by the machine.

    A quake tore through the room. 

 'If it's anyone's fault, it's Fate's,' Flea said in a surprisingly gentle voice, 'don't blame yourself.'

    Janus sighed and mentally shook his head bitterly. Then he narrowed his eyes and swept straight towards the prince through the shaking room.

    A sparkling darkness had begun to grown in the air only a couple of feet behind the boy.

    With the shock of seeing the blue-haired man with the sharp staff added with the unsteady surroundings, the two soldiers choose to get themselves out of the line of fire. Janus' hand closed around the small prince's fingers and safely pulled him up against his bigger chest with an encouraging smile. His momentum was bringing them both into the Gate, even though its gravity would have done the job anyway.

 "Don't worry, Schala!" Janus called over his shoulder, his free hand fumbling for Alfador's cage…

    The flashing blackness surrounded him, the boy and the cat, and he stumbled forwards.

 'It's Fate,' Flea's voice mildly said somewhere far away, 'did you remember to bring aspirin?'

 'What…'

    Janus staggered out in autumn cold grass, lost his balance but managed to spin over to avoid landing on the child. The cage left his hand but thumped onto the ground safely.

 "What the hell?" an all too familiar, hoarse voice exclaimed.

    The back of the wizard's head hit a rock and his world turned so white that he for a fading moment thought that his mind would implode.

    But it faded… faded to black… black… stillness…

 'Oh,' was his last, concluding thought before he lost consciousness.

 "Get them!" he heard Ozzie command, as through a wall as he slipped from the world.

 "Leave us alone!" the boy screeched.

    If Janus had had the strength, he would perhaps have smiled a little.

    Unheard, Flea said something quite uncharacteristic as he took a closer peek at the Ozzie before the troop.

 'Bloody hell.'


	23. New and improved, sorta

Arthas: Hmm, problem to read because of Java tags? I'm saving these chapters as web pages and upload them. Well, the first chapters were simply .docs. Is anyone else having troubles?

some guy: Yes! It's just another, and another, and another loop! I'll never ever go away! Mwaha! Ahem. No really. There _might_ be one more in an epilogue, but that's just a crazy lil' idea I have of a completely twisted time stream and I won't write that story. I know when I've done enough *chuckles* But it could be fun to see if anyone else would like to pick up after I'm done ;)

Anyway… onwards! 

Chapter 23, Time stream differences

"… Of Water, na matala sela…"

    Janus thought he felt a cool hand against his forehead, but he was still in the process of waking up. The warm, healing light gently pulled at his mind.

 'Just look at this!' he heard Flea whine, 'is that all I've been reduced to?! A _preparation_?' 

 'Preparation or headache, take your pick,' the Prince smirked, 'though I am a bit surprised myself.'

 'These time streams are starting to make me dizzy,' the Pawn muttered, 'now this is just a tad bit _too_ strange.'

 "Na matala sela…"

    That voice was familiar… but… different?

    Janus managed to crack his eyes open, but he couldn't see anything through the blur.

 "Na matala sela, are you back with us now?"

    The blur dissolved.

    Janus blinked. Blinked. 

    And blinked.

 "What?" the pink-skinned Mystic said, raising his eyebrows.

 'See?!' Flea whined, 'I _told_ you!'

 'Taking the risk of sounding incredibly silly,' the Prince dryly said, 'as usual you are too hard on looks and it doesn't surprise me.'

 'Argh! Those damn glasses! That short hair, that skinny body! Do you know what it does to a guy!?'

 "_Flea_?" Janus hoarsely said, lightly said baffled. 

    The quite _male_-looking Mystic jumped. 

 "How did you know that?" he demanded, suspiciously fiddling with the rather thick glasses he wore.

 "It _is_ you?" the wizard asked, still not quite believing what he saw. 

    The present magician eyed him for a moment in puzzlement, then nodded.

 "Yeah, I'm Flea. Have we met?"

 "Not like this…" Janus begun, but dryly added as he heard the clinking of chains as he tried to move, "but something similar."

 "Fine, I have no clue what you're talking about, but I suppose I'll know either way later on…" the magician said, tiredly rolling his eyes.

    Janus mind finally began to catch up with things.

 "Were you healing me?" he suspiciously asked.

    Flea threw his arms slightly upwards in a shrugging movement.

 "You looked like you needed it, so what?"

    The wizard slowly raised an eyebrow.

 "I'm not hearing this."

    There was a series of choked sounds as the Prince and Pawn did all they could to stop themselves from snickering.

    Flea dryly smiled and shifted his kneeling pose to cross-legged.

 'It's not me, it's not me, it's not me!' the spirit grumbled.

 'That's pretty apparent,' Janus concluded.

 "So you say? So, how come you seem to know me but I have no clue who the heck you are?" the living magician said in a conversational tone.

    Janus grimly shook his head.

 "I haven't got time to tell you," he said, "I have to get the child I came with out of here."

    Flea grunted and looked down on the ground.

 "Yes, that would be a good idea I'm afraid… ain't gonna happen though. But hey, he's safe right now, hasn't awakened yet. And they're not looking for me down here."

 "Look for you?" Janus said after a moment of trying to get the logic together.

 "To wake him up, of course. Magician knows what Ozzie plans for that kid."

    Flea turned his head and spat on the floor as he spoke the green monster's name.

 'Alright, now I'm really, really confused,' Janus thought.

 'I find it quite fascinating, actually,' the Pawn said, sending an amused glance in the spirit Flea's direction.

    The spirit deeply sighed. Just for the sake of it, of course. Not that he really needed to breathe.

 'Okay, in this time stream I seem to be a wimp with a softie heart. Happy!?'

 'I think my brain will need a while to grasp the concept,' Janus muttered.  

 "I have a clue of what he plans," he said aloud and calmly clenched his fists, "I've been waiting for several years to stop the damn toad from doing it."

 "First of all, I don't think you'll be able to get loose like…"

    The wall made a cracking sound around the rings that the chains were stuck to. Flea's  eyebrows twitched.

 "Alright, alright, I get it already!" he quickly said and grabbed Janus' right arm, "sheez, you muscle freaks… powers of the world…"

 "What are you doing?" Janus said, rather flatly.

    Flea snapped his fingers after a grunted spell and his free hand caught a red glow.

 "Look, there _are_ simpler ways to get out of here than to make the whole castle crumble…"

 "So you say?" the wizard said with amusement through the surprise.

    The magician grunted something and grabbed the shackle. The metal melted, but the skin below was left unharmed.

 "See?" Flea dryly said, "not that hard, was it?"

    Janus smiled a bit, slanted. 

 "Last time I was in this situation, the Flea and Slash I know were discussing which of my entrails to cut out first," he said.

    Flea took off his glasses and scratched his head with one of the curves normally holding them in place by his ears.

 "I can't remember ever discussing _anything_ with Slash, mister," he informed and put the glasses back. 

 'Hooboy, this is a real winner!' the spirit Flea groaned. 

 "I see," the wizard mildly said, "but tell me, isn't helping a human deemed as high treason or something along the lines?"

    The Mystic suddenly flashed two rows of sharp teeth in a grin.

 "Well you know… not everyday you meet a human fellow who can break himself free from chains with pure muscle power. Gonna save the kid, are you?"

    Janus found himself smiling widely back.

 "That's what I had planned, yes," he said, "are you coming?"

 "Aw, what the hell. Let's blast down some walls."

    The spirit Flea suddenly didn't look quite as frustrated anymore. Even the Prince's lips twitched a bit.

 "I think we'll get along just fine," Janus grinned as he stood, taking a hold of the remaining shackle, "powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire." 

 "Whoa," Flea commented, playing with his glasses again, "never seen a human use magic before."

    Janus chuckled and offered his hand.

 "Janus, royal wizard of Guardia, from a possible future."

 "Right."

    Flea shook his head, but then accepted the greeting. 

 "Flea of the Mystics, magician and rather confused."

 "I'll explain it to you once we're out of here," the wizard promised as he called for his staff.

 "My teleporting skills are a bit rusty, how about you?" Flea wondered. 

 "Don't worry about it, I'll get us around."

    Janus frowned a bit.

 "Do you know if there was a cat brought here together with me and the boy?" he asked.

 "A cat?" Flea said with raised eyebrows, "no, I don't think so."

 "Good, could be hard to find Alfador around these parts… anyway, let's go."

    Flea nodded and tapped his own head. With a slight smirk Janus reached out with his own mind and muttered the teleportation spell.

    The strange couple disappeared in the typical flashing light. 

 "… Is Janus!" a child's voice screeched, blurred with pain and fear.

 "Damn it!" Janus growled.

    But even before he had time to change the grip on his staff Flea had hurled a fireball straight in the surprised goblin's face and dove for the boy, lashing out his right hand towards Ozzie.

    Another whip slashed through the air before the magician could throw another fireball, and he growled in pain as his light robe was torn along with his concentration. He stumbled but got a safe grip of the kid as he fell. The child stared at the pink monster with wide eyes filled with tears of agony, but clutched the arms that shielded him with desperate hope.

 "Flea! You good for nothing idiot!" Ozzie's voice roared in outrage.

 "The sign of a good leader is respect for his underlings," Janus snarled as he swept up behind the fat greenie.

    Ozzie moved surprisingly quick, but the staff slammed down on his forehead and he fell.

    Running steps were heard from outside the corridor.

 'Time to leave!' the Prince warned.

 'Got it.'

    Janus tackled the remaining goblin before it had time to raise its whip again. Then he leaped over to the fallen two, muttering the spell he last had used once more. The magical light filled the dark room. 

 'This must be an escape record or something,' the female looking spirit pointed out.

 'It went smoother than mine,' the Pawn allowed himself to agree.  

 "Dammit!" was Flea's comment as he safely thumped down in the grass of Truce canyon, still with the small prince in a safe grip.

 "Dammit what?" Janus asked with a hint of amusement, sitting down to inspect the wounds on the Mystic and child.

    He placed the staff on the ground while the winds played with his long hair.

 "Dammit, I missed the fat toad," the magician grunted.

 'Ozzie sure will like hearing this!' the spirit monster said, all of a sudden disgustingly cheerful.

    Janus mildly chuckled, absentmindedly glancing around for any sign of Alfador. The cage he had been in laid open in the grass, the door seemed to have broken. No cat in sight though.

 'I'll go find him,' spirit Flea offered and left the wizard's head.

 'Thanks,' Janus thought, more friendly than last time he'd said that to the Mystic.

 "We'll just have to hope you'll get another chance later," he said aloud and gently touched the boy's shoulder, "hey, are you alright?"

 "I'm… I'm…" the kid stammered, staring at the wizard.

 "It's okay, nobody will hurt you anymore," Flea calmingly promised as he carefully handed over the saved one to Janus.

    This got the child staring at him instead.

 "I'm not like them back there," the magician hurriedly assured, "don't look at me like that, kid."

 "I…"

    His voice trailed off in a sob.

 "Don't try to speak if you don't want to," Janus kindly said, "powers of the world…"

 "I don't know what's worse," Flea chuckled and stretched a little as the healing magic washed away his pain as well, "the fact that a human is using magic, or that he's doing it better than me."

 "My knowledge comes from a version of you, does that cheer you up?" Janus mildly asked.

    Flea rolled his eyes. 

 "Okay, that is it. Explain yourself, now."

 "I will, I will. In a moment. Feeling any better?"

    The wizard aimed the last part towards the child, who slowly nodded.

 "Thanks…" he whispered in a weak voice.

 "I know you're confused and scared," Janus gently said, "I'll explain everything to both of you, alright?"

    Another frail nod.

 "I just numbed your pain since you might have cloth stuck in your wounds," the wizard said, "I have to get that out but you won't feel anything."

 "Alright," the boy said, his voice slightly securer than last time.

    Janus gently helped him lay down on his stomach and carefully pulled the biggest pieces of bloodied robe away from the two long wounds.

 "Will take care of you in a moment," the wizard said, looking up at Flea.

    The monster shrugged.

 "I'm alright, care for him first," he stated with a slight smile at the suspiciously glancing child, "I care more for an explanation right now."

    Janus nodded.

 "Here goes then," he said, "my name is Janus, and that is also the name of this child. I came from this land in the future to save him from the Mystics."

    He looked down and met the boy's hesitant gaze, unwilling to talk above his head since the story concerned him.

 "I was saved like you, but this place is different, and my savior was different too. In my world, this monster here is my archenemy."

 "Hey, that's rather harsh…" Flea said, fiddling with his glasses.

    Janus chuckled with the hint of a grin.

 "You don't look like that in my home world either," he said, "I know you as a psycho, egocentric guy who looks like a woman. Can't exactly say I don't like the variation."

    Very slowly one of Flea's eyebrows went up.

 "You're kidding, right?" he flatly said.

 "Sometimes wish I was. My version of you has been trying to assassinate me for the last eight years, failing every time."

 "So you're saying that you come from another world, where I'm a cross dressing freak who is too stubborn to give up an idiotic project and on top of that makes friends with Ozzie and Slash?" the magician summed up in a calm voice.

 "Yes," Janus nodded.

 "Right. Just dandy."

    Flea laid down flat on his stomach and crashed down his cheek into his hand, looking at the surprised boy. Right then he did remind a bit of the Flea Janus knew.

 "_Please_ tell me he's just a nutcase, kid!"  

    At first the small prince just stared at the Mystic in bewilderment. Then his small fingers flew to his lips, as if their twitching tries to grow a smile baffled him even more. 

 'I hear ya,' spirit Flea's voice sourly stated in a distance, 'and I've never been so insulted in my entire life!'

 'Does it feel better if I remind you that you're dead?' the Prince smirked.

 '_Ohh_!' the Mystic grumbled and "stomped off".

 "I don't know," the boy finally said and glanced at the wizard, "I met him two days ago."

 "Oh good, then I'm not alone with this confusion!" Flea said with a dry chuckle and smiled as the child battled another wave of intruding new sensations aimed at his lips.

    Janus watched the boy with fond hope. To have Flea cracking his cold asocial shell was not expected, but it seemed to be happening. 

 'Afraid of smiling, is he?' the Mystic sent over to the wizard via a thought.

 'I was like that too,' Janus replied, 'had a hard time back in the place where we were born. You seem to be doing a good job though.'

 'Heh. Don't like children that much but what the heck…'

 "Okay, so he says that he's you," Flea said aloud and sarcastically pointed at Janus with his thumb, "so who are you?"

 'This will be interesting…' the Pawn murmured.

    The boy watched the monster in disbelief for a moment, not used to having anyone else but Schala show him genuine interest above the "worrying miscarriage" level.

 "Why are you asking me?" he asked after a couple of seconds.

 "Since I've already deemed him there out of his mind, you seem sensible enough. My name's Flea, nice to meet you."

    Another short silence.

 "Flea?" the boy finally repeated, battling another hesitant smile.

    The Mystic rolled his eyes.

 "Yeah, back in the good old days my family had names like Dreamer and Magician. Now we're stuck with insects! Can you guess what my mother's name was?"

    Janus softly smiled as the boy slowly shook his head.

 "No…?" he said, timidly.

 "Spider," Flea said with a grimace, "but her brother was named Bumblebee so I suppose we two have it good. We just called him Bumble and he hated _all_ of us for it. I think granny Termite was missing a few…"

    The wizard of the three smiled broadly and even his mirrors allowed themselves something similar as a giggle escaped the boy. He covered his own mouth in surprise.

 "It's alright, Janus," the wizard gently assured him.

 'Congratulations,' he warmly sent Flea.

 'Thanks. You owe me one.'

 'Sure. And was his name really Bumblebee?'

 'No, Dragon Fly. But Bumble sounds funnier.'

    Janus couldn't help but chuckle aloud.

 "The Flea I know will die standing if I tell him all of this," he said to cover it, not willing to risk the boy thinking that he was the joke.

    The child was still in a critical mental state and Janus didn't want to take any chances. 

 "Are you feeling any better?" the grown one asked the smaller.

    After hesitating a moment the boy nodded, trying a small smile. Janus returned it and helped him sit up. 

 "Your back is cleaned, I better tend to the insect collection now."

 "Hey!"

    The boy couldn't stop himself from giggling again. 

    Then suddenly he stopped smiling and pulled up his legs towards his chest, hugging his knees.

 "Where's Schala?" he mumbled, watching the wizard who just sat down beside Flea.

 "I'm not sure," the wizard said, grimmer than earlier, "but I'm going back to find her."

 "I want to come too!" the child said, almost furious as he began to realize that he might be left behind.

 "Janus, listen," the wizard said and sadly shook his head, "I came from the future to save you, to make sure that the time-loop in which prince Janus is safe would close. You need to grow stronger, like I did, to go back in time and rescue another one of us."

    He watched the pale, angered face and shook his head again.

 "I know how you feel, I hated my teacher when he told me the same. But if you don't refine your powers, then you won't be able to kill Lavos and help Schala."

 "I can't… I have no powers!" the child protested, "I'm… uh…"

    His voice trailed off and he stared down at his hands in disbelief as his memory caught up with something. 

 "Everyone in Zeal was wrong about you, Janus," the wizard softly said.

 "If you can't use magic, then I'm a frog," Flea stated, causing three spirits and nearly also a wizard to whack their own foreheads due to the association.

    The boy shifted his wide eyes between his hands and his guardians.

 "Look kid," Flea mildly said, "I might not be as powerful as my ancestors but I'm a magician and I know magic when I see it. Just not used to seeing it in humans, but now I know where to look."

 "But I…"

    The child helplessly looked at Janus, who sighed.

 "It's a long time, I know," he said, "but you need to do this to stop Lavos once and for all."

    Watching the clenched jaw he sighed.

 'Guess I'll have to lie a little to convince him,' he grimly thought.

 'It will only be half a lie, after all,' the Pawn nodded.

 "It's not only for Schala and Lavos," Janus said aloud, "it's for us too. If you don't also save yourself as a child, that Janus will grow up among the monsters."

    The boy flinched and Janus clenched his teeth to continue.

 "Look, I'm going to show you something…"

    Grudgingly he turned to the child and swiftly pulled off his own shirt, revealing all the scars he had collected in the Mystic castle. The boy sucked in his breath and Flea cringed.

 "I was saved, but I got these," Janus said, in his mind crossing his fingers, "the Janus who saved me had spent thirteen years being beaten up and brainwashed. He couldn't even remember his past; serving the monsters as Magus, Pawn of the Mystics. I'm sorry I scare you."

    He quickly redressed and held out his palm to the boy.

 "This isn't about me, it's your life," he said, "you can grow strong and have revenge against Lavos, and make Schala proud of you."

    The boy watched the palm for a few seconds before he reached out and placed is smaller hand in it.

 "Royal wizard?" he hesitantly said.

 "That's my title, it doesn't have to be yours," Janus kindly said, "our lives will be different according to what you chose to do. And how the world here is set, Flea is different as I've pointed out already."

    He glanced at the listening monster.

 "How is king Guardia here?" he asked.

 "He's okay," Flea said with a light shrug, "keeps the hostile monsters at bay as well as he can, allows peaceful to live among humans…"

    He sighed and shook his head.

 "What about the war?" he darkly asked.

 "It was in its final phase when I got thrown through time again," Janus said with a light sigh, "the Mystics were loosing but it was barely."

 "It's idiocy…" Flea growled and hit the ground with his fist, "Ozzie is out of his mind!"

 "Ozzie?" the child repeated, a dark edge in his voice.

    Flea nodded.

 "Yeah, he wants to start a war and wipe out the humans," he grimly said, "as it is now I might just go to king Guardia and ask for his protection, I'm going to need it. I suppose they'll like a magic user, even if I'm rather crappy."

 "You?" Janus mildly said.

 "In compare to my ancestors, yes. What about yours?" the monster gruffly asked.

 "I think you're just in loss of self confidence."

    Flea's face hit the ground.

 "You are all too right there," he said, muffled and bitterly, "magic is rather passé these days."

 "How can you live without magic?" the child said, his own frustrated memories lashing out at the monster.

    Flea looked up and shook his head.

 "I've got magic, that's all I've got, kid. I'm no fighter. Look…"

    He took off his glasses and turned them in his hand to show the boy how thick they were.

 "I'm almost blind, so I can never battle with physic strength. So I get no respect, see?"

 "And they all thought I was worthless because I couldn't use magic!" the child growled, confused and angry over this new concept.

    Janus remained silent, waiting and watching the evolution.

 "Almost all monsters can use a little magic," Flea grunted and put his glasses back in place, "but they rely on brute force. I'm just a little bit better a magician than others. Understand?"

 "At home magic was everything!" the child said.

 "We're both misplaced, aren't we?" 

    The Mystic smiled a little without joy.

 "I've wanted to blast a fireball right in Ozzie's fat face for years, and when I get the chance I miss," he sighed.

    Meeting the boy's gaze he smiled a bit softer.

 "I'm not that powerful. You however, you'll bypass me in a couple of years and then you can send that toad flying through the walls of his big castle."

 "I… could?" the child hesitantly said, but there was something new in the back of his eyes.

 "What would you be, nine, ten?" Flea asked and shrugged, "maybe a little too young to take chances. But it wouldn't be much longer, would it?"

    He looked up at Janus, who shook his head with a smirk.

 "I plan on doing something like that as soon as I get back," the wizard said, "but I'll stay here a little while and help both of you get stronger, if you want."

    Flea dryly chuckled.

 "I wouldn't turn down an offer like that even if I was crazy," he said and looked ahead, "what about you, kid?"

    The boy hardly hesitated at all this time before nodding, and it was with resolve in the small, green eyes. He reached out a hand and Flea took it with a small, excited smirk. Janus closed his hands over the two finer ones.

 "But before I go anywhere else I want a damn explanation!" Flea suddenly stated after a few moments of symbolic silence.

 "Yes, of course…" Janus chuckled and let go.

 'Look what I found!'

 "… But I think we're missing someone," the wizard added after hearing the call in his head, smiling at the boy.

 "What…" he begun, but followed his older versions gaze.

    One of the bushes surrounding the small grassy platform moved and a cat with purplish fur leaped out with a happy meowing. 

 "Alfador!" the boy called in pure joy and caught the animal in a tight hug.

 'Let's just hope that doesn't become his only friend again…' the spirit Flea muttered, 'though I wouldn't worry too much.'

 'Oh?' the Prince said, surprisingly mild.

 'Really, no.'

 "How come everybody knows about these people Schala and Lavos around here," the living Flea grunted, but with a chuckle, "even the kitty talks about them."

    Janus raised an eyebrow and the boy looked up in surprise.

 "What, it's not that hard," the magician mildly said.

 "Can you understand what he says?" the boy asked, intrigued.

 "Sure, he's glad to see you… and he's wondering where he is, but it's okay since you're back. So cute I think I'll get sick…"

    The tone of his voice got them all smiling again.

 "Now really," Flea said, "who's Schala and Lavos?"

    Janus opened his mouth but quickly closed it again as the boy burst out:

 "She's my sister, and Lavos fooled all of us! We all thought he was a god but he… and the black wind…"

 "Hey whoa," Flea said, waving with his hand, "take it from the start, alright? I'm in the dark here."

    The boy took in a deep breath to calm down and looked up at the wizard before starting again, a bit hesitant. But Janus nodded encouragement.

 "Schala is my sister," the boy then begun, "we lived in Zeal and…"

    Smiling to himself Janus resumed picking pieces of cloth from Flea's wounds while the monster fascinated listened to the child's tale.


	24. A new era begins

Chapter 24, Patching things up

"Your Majesty, we have come to ask for your protection for this child and the Mystic, for the monsters desire their enslavement and death."

    The royal guards, chancellor and even the king himself was a bit taken aback by the blue-haired stranger's looks, the looks of his company, his words, and the way that he turned the bow to sitting down on one knee with his head lowered. His movement went so smoothly that it was hard to comprehend how he changed position. The fact that his kneeling was a perfect imitation of how the knights greeted the king wasn't taking anything off the surprise.

 'Sweet talker,' two Flea's commented, one of them unaware of the other's existence.

 'Whatever gets you in,' Janus mildly commented to the breathing one.

 'Suppose you have a point.'

 "And… what about yourself?" king Guardia finally wondered.

 "I must continue my journey, Your Majesty," Janus explained, looking up but not standing, "but I can no longer protect Janus here as it seems. We were captured by the Mystics and would not be here now if it hadn't been for Flea's aid."

 "You were what?!" most of the room exclaimed.

 'Your turn,' Janus advised.

    The monster mentally nodded and stepped forward.

 "Your Majesty," he said too and bowed, "my name is Flea, a magician of the Mystics, though I finally cast off my allegiance with the monsters as I could not allow Ozzie to go through with his plans to enslave these two."

 "What did those demons want with you?" the king grimly said, watching the child and the cat he held with concern.

    The small Janus bit his lower lip and shuddered as he tried to speak.

 "They… they…"

    He trailed off and his grown version calmingly put his hand on the small shoulder.

 "After Flea freed me from the dungeon we rushed to find Janus," the grown one grimly said, "he was being whipped."

    The humans winced as the wizard carefully held up the child's robe to show the tears.

 "Flea took a hit as well as he shielded Janus, then we managed to get out of there and the wounds were healed with our magic."

    There was a silence.

 "_Your_ magic?" king Guardia said in disbelief.

    The grown Janus nodded and held up his hand.

 "The reason that Ozzie desires our enslavement is that he finds this fascinating," he said and a blue flame danced up from his palm.

    Quite a few people were lightly said startled.

 "Yes, I am a wizard," Janus softly said, "and so is Janus, apart from the fact that he doesn't know how to use his powers yet. He will need protection until he's strong enough to take care of himself."

 "I thought only monsters could use magic!" the chancellor exclaimed, despite himself.

 "Yes, it usually is so," Flea said and shook his head, "but we are loosing much of our knowledge of it. How these two can use magic is beyond me, however I sense that Janus will be more powerful than I am."

    He bowed again.

 "To my old friends I am dead," he continued with a hint of bitterness, "and I will be at first sight. Therefore I humbly asks for your protection, Your Majesty. My magical powers aren't what they should be, but I can heal."

 "Magic or not," king Guardia kindly said as he finally had managed to swallow the worst surprise, "I wouldn't turn down a plea for help. You are both welcome to stay in the castle for a while."

 "Thank you, Your Majesty," Flea gratefully said.

    The boy managed to find his voice yet again and also thanked the king, very much despite himself. The grown Janus softly smiled as he stood.

 "I will stay here for a short while and help Flea begin to teach Janus," he said, "then I must be going."

 "That shouldn't be a problem," the king nodded with a smile, "but what is your name, then?"

 "Cyrus, Your Majesty," Janus replied without blinking.

 "I see."

    Flea nervously played with his glasses.

 "Your Majesty…" he hesitantly began, "there is something else, far more grave, but I didn't want to say it earlier to hold it against you…"

 "What then?" king Guardia asked with a slight frown of worry.

 "It's Ozzie," Flea said and bit his lip, "due to my bloodline from an ancient and great magician I had a fairly high position among the Mystics, and therefore I know that the monsters are planning sinister things as we speak. Ozzie's plan is to start a war to wipe out the humans, weapons are being forged in hidden caves below the ocean."

    Most of the humans in the room either paled or caught deep frowns.  

 "Are you sure?" the king grimly asked.

    A tad bit pale himself the magician nodded.

 'He can't help but feel guilty for being a traitor,' the spirit Mystic almost fondly said.

 "I am absolutely sure," the living one assured, "they will be ready to attack within three years, maybe even earlier."

    Janus dearly wanted to assure the king of the truth, but knew that it would complicate things since he'd have to explain himself. Therefore he left it.

    But the boy then surprised the ones who knew him.

 "I heard some monsters talk just before they… beat me," he said in a fairly steady voice, only hesitating a couple of times to pull himself together, "they said that… I could be useful in the war since I was even more powerful than Flea."

 "It's alright," Janus calmingly said, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder again for reassurance while Alfador rubbed his head against the robed chest.

    King Guardia exchanged worried looks with his chancellor.

 "Please believe us," Flea grimly said, "if we were lying, what would we gain of such a lie?"

    The king stood and gravely nodded.

 "Though I cannot verify your information I must take it as the serious warning it is, and there will be preparations for an occasion of war. I thank you for letting me know."

    He added the last in a kinder voice and continued:

 "Now, I see that you are tired. I'm sure that there are some beds free in the hospital wing, and getting your own rooms shouldn't take long. We've got many unused chambers in this old castle."

 "Thank you, Your Majesty."

 "Magic has a lot to do with imagination of what it will cause, you need a picture of what you want your powers to complete in order to make them work. They need something to hang on to while preparing for existence, get it?"

    The boy nodded, fully focusing on his teacher. Flea also listened closely, sitting on a chair and absentmindedly petting the sleeping Alfador who had curled up in his lap.

 "Alright," Janus said, "the easiest thing to do, strength wise, is an illusion. I know you've tried before, but now that your powers have awakened you will be able to do it, trust me."

 "Okay," the child said, with determination.

    Janus glanced at Flea, who innocently smiled.

 'You teach us magic, mister, I handle his vocabulary for now,' the Mystic chuckled.

 'He's a worse menace than Lucca!' the Prince grunted.

 'Heh,' Janus neutrally said and turned back to the child.

 "Good," he said aloud, "try something simple at first."

    The wizard reached out and took one of the scrolls of middle classed magic he had given Flea to study while the boy learnt the basics.

 "Try to make an illusion of this beside it," Janus instructed and put the closed roll on the floor, "I've noticed that it's easier to concentrate if you hold one or two fingers against your forehead."

    The boy nodded and raised his hand, frowning in concentration as he glared at the book.

    Slowly a ray of light flowed out from where the forehead met fingertips, tentative at first but as the student felt that something happened he gained confidence and the ray rushed down on the floor. A lightly transparent copy of the scroll appeared when the light touched the ground, and it stayed as the small Janus let his hand leave it's position in excitement.

 "Yes!"

 "Well done!" the wizard smiled.

 "Great work, kiddo!" Flea cheered with a big grin.

 'Somebody kill that… thing, pleeease!' the spirit Flea groaned, hanging on the Prince's arm even if he tried to shake him off.

 'Let go before I kill _you_, again,' the oldest Janus growled.

 'But I'm sure this treatment is good for my ba-a-ack!' the headache called, flapping almost like a leaf in storm.

 'Threaten to start asking him personal questions again instead,' Janus suggested with an inner smirk.

 'I'm calm, silent and leaving you alone! Yessir!'

    The Pawn chuckled a bit as Flea moved off.

 'Behave or I'll ask you how old you are,' he warned.

 'You should never ask a lady about his age!' the spirit monster snorted, wrinkling his nose.

 'Even if they've _always_ looked the same, like you and your friends?' the Pawn mildly pointed out.

 'Monsters age slower than humans,' the Prince said with a smirk, 'he was 57 when I killed him.'

 '_Jaaanus_!' Flea cried, imitating a banshee quite well.

 'Ozzie was 62 and Slash 54, I believe,' the old leader cruelly added.

 'Hmph!'

 'Now that's a bit surprising,' Janus said with raised eyebrows.

 'Yes, making the only one with the ability to think straight the baby of the group,' the Pawn snickered.

 "Hey, would you look at that?" the living Flea grinned.

    Janus looked up and aside, meeting his own transparent eyes. He jumped a bit of the surprise, then smiled at the boy.

 "You're doing great."

    The child smiled carefully, for him it could pass as a wide grin.

 "I think we can go on to a bit more useful things then," Janus said and picked the scroll from the floor, "first…"

    He held out his arm and slammed the hard, wooden side of the aged script's base into his left upper arm.

 "… Simple healing," he added with a wince, "that hurt… now I want you to make the pain go away. You saw me and Flea heal yesterday, think you can do it?"

 "I'll try," the boy nodded, reaching out for the reddish mark.

 "Healing requires that you are able to care for the victim and picture his pain, just a little bit is needed. It gets easier with time and practice, like everything else."

 "I always regarded it as a way to make the big babies stop whining," Flea muttered to Alfador, who's tail twitched as he watched his young human friend.

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Water, na matala sela!"

    The boy closed his eyes in concentration, and a small snowstorm of stars completely covered Janus' arm. Needless to say the pain left.

 "Oops," the child said in embarrassment, opening his eyes as he felt the exaggerated use of power.

 "It's alright," Janus assured, "you'll learn control, first of all we need to get you started."  

 "I understand," the young one gravely nodded.

The steps going up the stair sounded so familiar, but at the same time they wouldn't truly be familiar in this castle just yet. It takes time to establish a homey feeling.

    Janus allowed himself a light sigh.

 'Homesick, are you?' the Pawn gently said.

 'Suppose… and I've only been away from home for what, a week?'

 'Six days of your life,' his teacher corrected, 'close enough.'

 'Well, it's just that this place _is_ my home, but at the same time it's not.'

 "Sir Cyrus?" a voice said ahead of him.

 "My liege?" Janus replied, automatically.

    Oops.

 'Damn my absent mind…'

 'You're only human,' Flea cheerfully said.

 'And grateful about it, too.'

 'There are lots of great stuff about being a monster!'

 'Like being dead?'

 'Touché.'

    King Guardia smiled.

 "You bear no such close allegiance to me, do you?" he said in a friendly way, "no need to use that title."

 "Call it a habit, Your Majesty," Janus mildly said and passed the last few steps, "what can I do for you?"

    The king's smiled dropped and he frowned a bit.

 "It considers young Janus," he said, "I hear the tale of him and also yourself has leaked out and the people in Truce seems to be a bit nervous since they're not used to people using magic."

    Janus folded his arms lightly and nodded.

 "Ah yes," he said, "figures. No, no, I understand. Nothing about Flea, though?"

    The king shook his head, clearly a bit uncomfortable with the whole subject.

 "Peaceful monsters have switched sides before," he said, "it's more common than magic."

 "Janus is still learning but he's doing good in healing magic," the wizard thoughtfully said, "if he could get a chance to show that side of our powers somehow it should calm people."

    King Guardia nodded.

 "That's a good idea. I'll see if the town doctor needs any help. Nothing too gross, of course, he's still a child."

 "Thank you, Your Majesty. Try to make sure there won't be a crowd though, I know he's a bit shy."

 "So I've understood. I hope it's passing," the king kindly said.

 "I'm pretty sure it is," Janus nodded with a smile.

    They would have continued talking for a while, if it hadn't been for the young voice shouting.

 "Cyrus!"

    Quick steps came up the stair.

 "Look!" the boy panted, smiling through the breathing.

    The king blinked, though he had received a few glances at the mystical powers the freely floating Alfador took him by surprise.

 "You're advancing almost quicker than I was," Janus softly said and reached up to scratch the cat behind the ears.

 'He's making a worse process in cheerfulness too,' the Pawn chuckled, 'damn Flea.'

 'Oh yeah, blame everything on Flea… oh, you mean the weird one. Okay, carry on…' the pink spirit muttered, at first pouting but then quickly changing.

 "You never cease to amaze me," king Guardia commented and gave the boy a friendly smile.

    The smallest Janus' troubles to smile were breaking apart very smooth and quickly. Flea sure was a threat to his coldness.

    Weird indeed.

 "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said.

     At first the title had most probably just been spoken by him since he felt it was needed, but already he was doing it automatically.

 'He's in good hands,' Janus softly thought.

 'Indeed.'


	25. The circle is closed

Chapter 25, Back in Zeal, again

"I thank you for accepting Janus and Flea," the grown wizard said, straightening up, "I know that they will be safe here and I can continue my travels."

 "You're welcome back if you need help, Cyrus," the king kindly said.

 "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    Janus let his smile pass the people in the throne room, pausing briefly at his two pupils and Alfador.

 'Are you ever going to come back?' the boy sent over to his mind.

 'My own teacher came back to see me, and anyway there's no way I'd just leave you forever,' Janus promised again.

    They had already had a similar discussion, but the boy was still worried, apparently.

 'You two take care now.'

 'Leave it to me, I won't let him screw up,' Flea chuckled.

 'Better not,' Janus smirked.

 'We'll think of something to save Glenn and Cyrus when that time comes.'

 'I'm sure you will.'

 "I bid you farewell now," the wizard said aloud, turned and walked out, staff in hand.

    He left the castle and made sure he was out of sight before he stopped to chant.

 'This should do it…'

    The darkness opened and he stepped through time and dimensions.

    He stepped out in a snowy plain and frowned.

 'What the…'

 'No, you haven't done a mistake,' the Pawn said in a controlled voice, 'this is all that remains of Zeal.'

    The icy winds spread Janus' hair about as he stared towards the tiny village. Somewhere his brain noted that it didn't feel quite as cold as he remembered it. The eternal snowfall had ceased, too.

    But these were the last remains of humanity?

 'Because of my magic…?' he bitterly thought.

 'It would have cost us the boy's life if you hadn't,' the Prince reminded, more friendly than he ever had been before, 'in our streams it was because of Schala. She doesn't talk about it.'

    He let "but she knows all too well" remain unsaid.

 "Just great…" Janus growled aloud and hurried towards the village. 

    Earthbound and enlightened ones were assembled in the center of the broken circle of huts, all looking dispirited and bitter. The wizard winced as he estimated their numbers. There could only be a tiny part of the magical kingdom's population left. The earthbound ones seemed to have done better though, but they hadn't needed to make it to the sky lifts…

 'That Lavos is so powerful…' Janus bitterly thought.

 'To destroy an entire land, yes,' Flea surprisingly gently said, 'with enough power he's able to do so and more. But you will still beat him.' 

 'I sure hope so…'

 'Don't worry about it, cutie.'

 "Prince Janus!"

    He had been spotted. Now all the people looked up with either relief that he was safe or surprise for the call.

    Janus hurried the last few yards forwards. As he began to slow down a child from the outskirts of the crowd stood and hurried towards him. Without thinking the wizard let go of his staff and lifted the little one as the boy clearly asked for a proof of security. Sobbing slightly the child buried his dirty face in the clean cloth over the shoulder and hugged the strong neck tightly.

 "What has happened here?" Janus asked, looking around.

    The enlightened ones stared at him in distrust while the ones in torn and dirty clothes closed in with relieved smiles.

 "So glad to see you, prince," the elder said, "Lavos awakened and destroyed Zeal… we thought you were dead."

 "Are there any injured people? Where are my friends?" Janus asked.

    The smiles dropped.

 "What?" the wizard demanded.

 "Lord Dalton came here and brought your friends to the Black Bird," the elder sadly said and shook his head, "and that crashed into the ocean minutes ago."

 'They're alive,' the three spirits said simultaneously.

    Janus still let his gaze fall and slowly nodded.

 "I see," he slowly said, "we can just hope that they are still alive then."

    He reached out his free hand and put it on the old man's shoulder.

 "As for now, are there injured among you?"

 "Yes, but with the Mammon Machine gone no one can use magic to heal them," someone else in the crowd sadly said.

    Janus hesitated for a moment.

 'If you don't let them know how you do it, it should be alright,' Flea gently said.

 'I agree,' the Prince said and the Pawn nodded.

 'Alright.'

 "Lavos did not create magic," Janus sternly said and let his gaze run over all the people, "there is still some left, and I'll use it to help you now. But then it's better that the mystical powers leave humanity, as you have seen proof of here today."

    There was a light, confused murmur among the two groups.

    Janus would have clarified a bit, but a sudden earthquake threw them all to the ground. The wizard managed to land on his back to protect the gasping child.

 "What's happening?!" somebody shouted.

 "Look! The Ocean palace!"

    Growling Janus got up and glared towards the horizon as people began to point.

 "What the…"

 'I never really understood why he did that,' the Prince grunted.

 "Is Lavos bringing even more suffering to us?!" yet another voice croaked.

 "Are we gonna die too?" the boy Janus held whimpered.

    The wizard's eyes narrowed and he calmingly put his hand against the small, shivering back.

 "No, I promise," he muttered, "it's alright."

 'What's the point of making the palace fly?' he asked in his thoughts.

 'Nothing as far as I ever saw,' the Prince said, 'whenever going to a future era it was just floating there, never doing anything. That was, until we fought the queen in there and trashed it.'

 'It never hurt people by me either,' the Pawn nodded, 'any idea, Flea?'

 'We're talking an intergalactic parasite from outer space, in a ship looking like an overgrown hedgehog,' the Mystic pointed out, 'do you expect logic?'

 'He seemed all too intelligent when he talked to me and Molor,' the Prince grunted.

 'Just a showoff methinks.'

 "Calm down!" Janus shouted, "I don't think it's going to hurt anyone, if so it would have launched something at us already. Just calm down and try not to think about it for now, we have to get you back on your feet!"

    The people were still in uproar of new fear. They went from one shock to another these days, the poor… 

    Janus clenched his teeth and muttered a spell under his breath, so silently that not even the boy heard him. He wasn't going to risk somebody rediscovering the powers and use them to take command of the small world. 

    A flame erupted towards the sky and the wizard finally got the attention back.

 "Listen," he said in a calming voice, "I'll tend to your wounded. Further, there must be something edible around, on land or in the ocean. Hunters, fishermen?"

 "We'll send out people," the elder nodded after a moment of collecting himself.

 "Good," Janus said, smiling to encourage them all, "select those who should get food and the others start collecting firewood. This winter won't last forever but it's rather chilly still, isn't it?"

 'Am I a leader?' he dryly thought as the people began carrying out his advices.

 'You were born a prince, it's in our blood,' the Prince said with a slight smile, 'even if you're rusty you're doing well.'

 'Thanks, I guess.'

The Epoch's engines slowly died. The driver heavily leaned forward, supported by the wheel.

 "You okay, Marle?" Lucca worriedly asked.

 "Yeah…" the princess mumbled.

 "Marle like Crono best…" Ayla sadly purred.

    The daughter of king Guardia straightened up with new determination in her eyes.

 "Crono… I'm finding him, no matter what!" she muttered, more to herself than anything else.

    Lucca faintly smiled. She missed her childhood friend too and her heart ached as she thought of his fate, but she saw that her newer friend felt more than just the regular grief. And she had turned the pain into a resolve to right what had been wronged.

    But Crono was dead… would even time travel help this time?

    She was brought out of her thoughts by Marle's jump out of the cockpit. 

 "Let's check the village out, who knows what Dalton might have done while we were imprisoned!"

 "Coming!" Lucca shouted, "wait up!"

    Ayla leaped down in the snow and shrieked.

 "Brr! Ayla miss Janus too!"

 "I'll see what I can do…" Lucca promised and tried to figure out how a warming spell would work.

    It worked fine in a way. The snow melted away as if it had been touched by red hot iron wherever the cavewoman trampled.

    The three women found the camp in a better state than they had left it. The dispirited humans were now rushing about carrying firewood to one of the huts, which apparently had been turned into a storage for such. The older and younger parts of the population had been shrouded in roughly cut pieces of the many robes the enlightened ones had worn on a daily basis.

 "Something apparently happened while we were away," Lucca mildly said.

 "Hey, you three!" 

    They looked up and smiled at the elder.

 "You're alive!" he smiled.

 "Yeah, we're fine," Marle said with a brave smile, "are you guys alright?"

 "Yes, things are looking a bit better as you see," the old man smiled.

 "Dalton is gone," Lucca reported, "you won't have to fear him anymore."

    The elder smiled gently.

 "I want to thank you from all of us," he gratefully said, "you have done so much to help. Ah yes, and prince Janus is here."

 "He is?!" the three shouted simultaneously, nearly pouncing the elder.

 "Yes, he's helping the wounded," the old man said and waved at the northwestern houses.

    His beard almost shivered by the wind created by the women's speed.

 "Janus!"

    The blue-haired figure stood and turned away from the lying form he had tended to, smiling slightly as Marle, Lucca and Ayla dashed into the simple house.

    He saw it coming better than his teacher had done and steeled himself not to stumble backwards over his patients as the blonde princess threw herself at him.

 "At least you are alive!" Marle almost growled, her voice choked with emotions.

    Janus gently hugged her back for a moment, meeting Lucca and Ayla's relieved gazes.

 'This will hurt…'

 'Your conscience is too big, cutie,' Flea said, gentle however.

 'It's not fair to them.'

    He looked down at the blond horsetail. It brought his mind helplessly to Lai, the hug didn't exactly help him to feel any better. 

    Janus was constantly feeling bad for letting his student down again and again with history's need for refusal. He couldn't take much more of a similar thing.

 'They'll forgive you when you get him back,' the Pawn kindly said.

 'I hope so.'

 "Marle… all," Janus carefully said.

    Two crystal blue eyes looked up into his ruby red ones, hesitantly.

 "What?" the princess said.

 "The black wind said…"

    Janus sighed and shook his head.

 "It said 'the young man will die, so that his friends may live, so that the ones he cares for won't perish like him'."

    Marle opened her mouth but only a choked sound came out. Lucca looked down at the floor with shaking fists and Ayla made a sad, growling noise.

 "I'm sorry," Janus said, "what do you think had happened if I had told you? I'm sorry. But look at me. Look at me!"

    He sternly looked down into Marle's eyes again after meeting the other's gazes.

 "We're getting him back, understand? My guardians tell me that they managed, and so will we then."

 "Are you sure?" Marle asked with new hope.

    Janus smiled a bit and gently let go of her.

 "I'm sure. Let's go talk to Gaspar, he'll know."

 "Alright!" Lucca cheered, punching the air with a big, hopeful grin.

 "Blue haired one good friend!" Ayla grinned.

    Janus' smile turned a bit bitter.

 "Not quite…"

    He looked back at Marle again and then sunk down on one knee, lowering his head before the women's surprised gazes.

 "As the princess of Guardia you are, after all, the same as my liege," Janus said with the hint of a smile, "and on my honor as the royal wizard of your cause I hereby swear that not telling you all that I knew Crono would die was the last time I ever hid the truth or lied to you."

 'You're nuttier than a room full of imps,' Flea commented, his pointing finger spinning about an inch from his head.

 'Your general says wise things every now and then,' the Pawn mildly told the Prince, who simply grunted.

 "Stand up, wizard," Marle said, not sure if she should scold him or chuckle, "and quit the act."

 "It's not an act," Janus gravely said as he straightened up, "you have to admit that I have been keeping a lot of things away from you."

 "Not like you didn't have a reason," Lucca said, "can't say I like it but in retrospect we wouldn't have wanted to know about Crono."

 "Still, I am sorry for lying," Janus said.

 "It's alright," Marle stated, "or it _will_ be alright when we get Crono back."

    The wizard nodded and waved a little with his hand to bring their attention to the rest of the hut. There were about ten more people in there, those who were awake watching the four visitors rather strangely.

 "I just need to finish healing these ones, then we'll go," Janus said.

    Marle nodded.

 "And we'll help," she said with a stronger smile than last.

 "Then kill Lavos!" Ayla grinned.

    Janus' smile widened and he nodded with determination.

 'Onwards towards the end…'

    He forced the smile to stay.

 'Now don't get all depressed there, honey,' Flea cheekily said.

 'Oh shut up…'

    Lucca didn't notice that the wizard bitterly glanced at her as she helpfully went to check that the fire warming the hut wasn't smoking too much.

 'I'd strongly recommend keeping Lucca away from Lai, yeah,' the Mystic went on, 'she'd positively roast her. And apart from that…'

    He didn't get any longer as the Prince absentmindedly kicked his ankle, used the unbalance to bring the Mystic down with a light shove and then planted his boot on the white-robed stomach.

 'Okay, okay, I get it already!' Flea pouted, 'sheez! Why do you always have to exaggerate everything?'

 '_I_ exaggerate?' the Prince said, soft as silk.

 'Of course! If you fall into complete despair you don't just have to go crazy, you have to go get possessed by hurk!' 

 'If you'd believe my personal thoughts,' the Pawn muttered, 'I'd say they somewhere deep down just don't want you to be depressed.'

    Janus' lips even twitched, even though he still felt a bit down.

 'That theory is better than the one about them trying to drive me crazy…'


	26. Flea troubles

Chapter 26, Face off

"This'll protect you against the cold," Janus said with a smile, placing a sparkle on Marle's forehead and turning to Lucca for the same treatment, "good luck you three."

 "Thanks," the princess of Guardia said, her eyes glistening with determination.

    The assembled troop in the End of Time waved at the two women and Robo as they jumped off the edge to Epoch, Marle clutching the Chrono Trigger in a safe grip.

    That over with, everyone went back to just waiting. Or rather, Gaspar, Frog and Janus did. Ayla went to fight Spekkio out of boredom. The sounds from the battle was magically and thankfully distant.

 "Don't you get bored here, Gaspar?" Janus asked in a conversional manner, sitting down in a free corner of the room and leaning against the railing.

    He put the staff on the ground and stretched out before getting into a casual and relaxed stance. 

 "Heh, if I couldn't watch time I'd go crazy living here," the guru admitted with a chuckle, "I get to see quite a few interesting things."

    He tipped his hat a bit with a small smile.

 "You know, family lines growing, love stories, frogs with broadswords killing dinosaurs…" 

    Frog chuckled and gave a light bow.

 "'Tis an honor to entertain thee, sir Gaspar," he smirked.

 "Can you see where Schala is, then?" Janus asked.

 'Hey, gotta try.'

 'Now you're thinking like that alternate Flea talked,' the Prince grunted.

 'Blasphemy.'

 "I'm sorry, prince Janus," Gaspar said with a sigh, "not all events of time are always open to me. Otherwise I would have sent you to find her already."

 "I trust you as much, my friend. And quit calling me prince, it's wizard or just Janus if you please."

 "If you say so, Janus."

    The wizard smiled a bit and leaned his head backwards, looking up into the never ending brownish sky. After a moment he began feeling like he was falling into it and closed his eyes to get rid of the sinking sensation.  

 'Aww, he's feeling down again,' Flea commented.

 'You're too attached,' the Prince muttered.

    But in the next second he sighed.

 'I'm one to talk…'

    The other three of the group smiled a bit at their second oldest member, not scornfully.

 'But it's personal this time!' the Mystic said.

 'Isn't it always?' Janus dryly replied.

    He looked up and smiled a bit as Frog plopped down beside him.

 "Dost thee believe they will be victorious?" the swordsman softly asked.

 "I don't think they're allowed to fail," Janus replied with a gentle smirk, "we're stopping Lavos at all costs. Hm…"

    He sighed lightly.

 "… And cleaning up history."

 "Dost that bother thee?" Frog wondered.

 "Well you know…"

    Janus leaned his cheek in a hand.

 "When Lavos is dead I'll leave Guardia to find Schala," he muttered.

 "Oh, I see…" Frog said in a low voice, looking down at his hands as well as his misplaced eyes allowed.

    Grunting lightly the wizard shifted.

 "Will have to make sure the Mystics are gone first…"

    He smiled joylessly.

 "I'll have to kill Flea."

    For the strange tone in his voice he got a puzzled gaze.

 "Does thee hesitate when facing that deed?" Frog wondered, frowning.

 "Ah, not in his case. But when I saved the boy I met another kind of Flea, one that helped me. It will be hard to wash his memory out of my head when I fight."

 'And you're not helping either,' he grunted in his thought to one of his guardians.

 'Aww…'

 "'Tis a true twist of fate," the swordsman commented, "why wouldst he aid thee?"

 "He didn't get along with Ozzie, Slash or any of the other Mystics very well, so to speak."

    Janus put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

 "I'm still freeing us from our magician though," he declared and smiled a bit, "for your sake if nothing else, Glenn."

    Frog smiled a bit.

 "Thy loyalty warms my heart. But pull a stunt like with the mantis again and I shall cut thy hands off."

 "Alright, alright…" Janus chuckled.

'Heh…' the spirit Flea muttered.

    Nothing else.

 'You're awfully quiet,' Janus suspiciously thought.

 'I'm leaving you this moment,' his teacher mildly said, 'don't know about those two though.'

    Flea and the Prince exchanged quick glances, as if offhand.

 'Just remembering,' the oldest Janus calmly stated.

 'Yeah, my shoulder still aches where you cleaved. All the way down to my…'

 'Thanks, I remember just fine by my own.'

 'Tch, tch, tch…'

 'Is there something you're not telling us?' the Pawn wondered.

 'It's something you'll find out and pass on your own, boys,' the Mystic happily said.

 'Sounds like fun…'

 "And for the memory of Cyrus," Frog pointed out, his smile dropping.

    The wizard's face changed to a grim mask as well and he nodded.

 "Of course. And everyone else that died in the war."

 "Truly."

    Janus, Frog and Gasper looked up as a flash of light announced the arrival of Epoch. Moments later Marle, Lucca and Robo swept up from the darkness below. Crono landed between them, grinning widely.

 "Crono!" Frog called with a big smile, leaping to his feet and dropping the earlier moment's dark determination. 

    The wizard got up as well to joyfully welcome his friend back to life.

    The two warriors from Guardia nearly got overrun by Ayla, who dashed out of Spekkio's room and literally pounced the surprised returner.

    Marle flinched for a second, but got a grip of herself as Ayla leaped off the young man almost immediately as if she was afraid he had gone broken. But he got up with a  chuckle.

 Glad to see you too, he mildly said.

 "Ayla glad Crono okay!" the cave woman beamed, "so worried about Marle too!"  

 "Eh…" the princess began, though dropping it.

 'They were _so_ cute on Death Peak, hugging! Nyaha!' Flea giggled, causing the Prince to roll his eyes. 

 'Good update…' Janus just commented with a  faint smile and grabbed Crono's hand.

 And you're back in one piece too I see, the red-hair grinned.

 "It went as well as I could have hoped for, yeah," the wizard smiled, "good to have you back."

    Gasper let the reunion go on for a while, then he cleared his throat to get the attention.

 "Now that you're back in full force you might be able to tackle Lavos," he announced, "however I have seen glimpses of history that you might need to look into before that…"

The fact that the sun shone from an almost cloud free sky didn't seem to fit into the picture. Not even the thin forest seemed as threatening as it should have.

    The iron portal in the dark wall did add up a little, but it wasn't nearly enough.

 'It should have been raining,' Janus idly thought, his fingers tip tapping against the staff as he silently watched the dark castle. 

 'Don't be so sentimental,' the Prince muttered.

 'It's not just that, it's hard enough to get into the right mood for this as it is. More appropriate weather could help.'

    The Prince just shook his head at that.

 'You have to see it from his view, milord,' Flea said with wide, innocent eyes, 'would you be able to kill me again after all that's happened?'

 'Don't push me.'

    The spirit Mystic cheerfully grinned.

    A pair of gargoyles screeched at each other on top of the wall as the three warriors came out of the forest. When realizing they were seen, the monsters dove down on the inside.

    Janus exchanged glances with Frog and Crono, then walked closer to the gate.

    The knocks rung through the still air like a gong.

 "Mystics!" the wizard called, "I am Janus! Let's settle this once and for all!"

    Even though the song of iron hung in the area for several seconds after the last knock, it was as silent as the depth of the ocean. A very tense silence.

 They're not answering the bell… Crono grimly concluded, his hand on his sword hilt.

 "So it seems," Frog said, motioning at the gate, "shall we enter as they dost not decline us to do so?"

 "Be my guest," Janus nodded and stepped aside.

    It took a couple of swings to break the gate, but in the end it fell before the might of Frog's blade.

    With the wizard in the lead the three entered the fairly small courtyard, only to be greeted by an angry buzz.

    A big, familiar insect stormed out of the castle gate, it's black eyes set upon Janus. 

    Again the staff suffered deep cuts but remained in one piece. Without a word the wizard threw his weapon at the nearest wall, sending the mantis flying. It got control of its flight in time and zoomed back, finding itself forced to parry a thin sword. Hissing it tumbled over Crono's head and rushed towards Janus again. 

    The staff slammed into its chest, hardly marking the steel-hard panzer. But Frog's swing nearly cut off the nearest sword arm, had the opponent not been so quick.

 We're getting more company! Crono warned.

    Freelancers and goblins with varying weapons were hurrying down the stair to the fort, flanked by sorcerers and  skeletons. They were much more scarce than expected, but still not a nice sight.

 "Keep him busy for a while, I'll clear some room!" Janus growled.

 "Aye!" Frog grimly nodded.

    Crono would have agreed had he not been busy with the mantis already.

 "Powers of the Underworld…"

    A shrill whistle tore the air into pieces and nearly caused all the fighters to drop their weapons in the fight to cover their ears.

 "That's enough, in you go!" Flea's voice snarled.

    Sourly buzzing the mantis turned and flew into the fort again, past his master in the doorframe. The other monsters were giving their magician puzzled looks.

    The humans cautiously tightened the grip of their weapons as the monsters cleared way down the stair for the pink skinned one.

 'Either he's got more guts than I thought possible or it's a trick,' the Pawn commented.

 'I think it's something just in between,' the spirit Flea muttered, raising an eyebrow.

 "What trickery be this?" Frog aggressively demanded.

    Flea smirked a bit and stretched a bit of the glowing whip he held between his hands.

 "I give Janus as much," he stated, "this is between him and me and I'm not sharing again."

 Feeling down after the fiasco last time? Crono scoffed.

 "You stay out of this, human."

  'Is he serious?' Janus thought, a bit surprised.

 'As far as I can see he's pretty offended from when we helped him save the Mystics,' the Prince emotionlessly said, 'whether you'd believe it or not he's got more sides than the childish one.'

 'Oh, thank you, milord,' Flea smirked, 'I think. Erk!' 

 "Back off, you two," Janus calmly said, motioning at the area behind his back.

 "What?" both the swordsmen said, disbelieving.

    The wizard smiled a bit.

 "It's the first time Flea and me agrees on something, it's only fair. You stay out of this one."

 He'll make them shoot at you at any chance possible! Crono growled, glaring at the common Mystics.

 "Hell no," Flea snapped, "no one's interfering this time."

 "Wouldn't something be wrong if I had a fight with Slash, but not with my archenemy?" Janus mildly said, "we really need to get this done."

    Hesitatingly Crono and Frog backed away.

 'Heh, you know…' the spirit Flea muttered, scratching his cheek with one finger, 'there's something very disturbing about watching yourself get wasted, so see you guys later.'

    And he was gone from Janus' head, leaving a somewhat empty space behind.

 "It should be raining," the wizard said in a low voice, almost idly.

    Flea's lips twitched a little as he drew his hand back and moved his feet into a fighting stance.


	27. Wizard vs magician

I'm really proud of this fighting scene. I hope you'll enjoy it! 

Chapter 27, Endgame

Janus forced himself not to flinch and recoil as the whip lashed at him, despite the screaming of his instinct which wanted to cover for the remembered pain. He threw up the staff in both hands to let it take the hit, holding it forcefully as the whip wrapped itself several laps around the wood. He couldn't risk Flea ripping his weapon away and threw out the staff in a wide swing to unarm the Mystic instead.

    But the whip stretched like gluey toffee and slipped off from its coiling. Flea caught it with his free hand as it returned to him, his eyebrows twitching with a sneer. 

    Janus' lips moved a little by the edges, nothing more.

    The two combatants circled each other, which was a complicated matter since none of them were prepared to trust the friends of the other one, thereby unwilling to turn his back at the other party.

 'This isn't working,' Janus experimentally sent towards the magician's mind after trying to keep an eye on the Mystics and Flea at the same time for a few moments.

    It took a second before the reply came. Obviously the pink skinned one hadn't expected that. 

    And if it hadn't been for Janus' strange relationship with his versions, Flea wouldn't have had to be surprised either since the wizard probably never would have considered talking telepathically with him. 

 'Point there, cutie.'

 'Anywhere else we could take this?'

 'This is the fight of the century, sweeth…'

 'Don't even say it.'

 'Sweetheart,' Flea smirked and sent the whip towards the wizard again, forcing him to parry.

    Janus snarled both in his thoughts and aloud but caught the lash again.

 'You know my point,' the Mystic continued less mocking than before, 'they'll want to watch. Slash and Ozzie are too.'

 'You don't happen to have an underground coliseum or something, I presume?' Janus dryly said.

 'Our funds are limited right now.'

 'Ah yes, of course. But then maybe…'

    The only thing the watchers saw was that Flea took the whip back and raised his free hand, at the same time as Janus held up the staff as he did when preparing to finish a spell.

 "Powers of the world, lend me pure power! Samea twandor!"

    As they finished their spells the ground sprouted softly green, transparent petals which rose around the fighters like a closing flower. It forced the spectators backwards since it took up almost all space there was in the courtyard.

 "You're freaking me out these days, Flea!" came Slash's irritated voice as the purple Mystic emerged from the gate with a massive frown.

 "We need the space, hon," the magician replied, cracking the whip to signal that the battle was on again.

    No more treaties.

    Janus had used the magic using to free the blades of his staff and now he slashed at his opponent's weapon to cut it. But it just got thrown aside a little by the sharp edge, too tough to sever. The wizard didn't let it get to him and charged at Flea before the monster could prepare another lash.

    Flea danced aside and grabbed the whip in his free hand, holding up and stretching it quicker than a snake bites as Janus aimed the staff straight at his foe again. The blade hit the stretched, red material and the rebound almost sent the harder weapon flying out of the owner's hand. Janus nearly lost his balance, stumbling aside as Flea let go and instead of using the whip clawed at the man's face with fingers dangerously bent. Long nails flashed like metal in the sun.

 'I'm not up for a catfight,' Janus sent over in a mildly humorous tone. 

 'You've got long enough hair to be a woman, cutie,' Flea smirked back with a small, amused sparkle in his eyes.

    He leaped backwards as Janus regained control and lashed out his staff.

 'You're awfully friendly today,' the magician commented.

    The right part of Janus' lips moved upwards a little in a joyless smile.

 'I've had a different relationship with the Mystics for a few days,' he admitted.

 'Now let's not get softhearted even if I don't have a clue what you're talking about.'

 'True that.'

 'What, we're agreeing again? This can't be good.'

 'No,' Janus agreed and ducked another lash, 'we better stop this or this battle…'

 'Won't be half as fun. Don't tell me you were gonna say anything else. What's so funny?'

 'Oh nothing.'

    Flea flashed his teeth again as the whip snapped into a curl in his hand and disappeared under his shrouding cloak together with his fists. The wizard's eyes went verily thin and he changed the grip of his staff.

 'What's he planning now?' he thought.

 'Don't give him time to finish it!' the Prince shouted as Flea's lips moved soundlessly.

    Janus dashed forwards to end the silent chanting but the whip lashed out and a searing pain cracked his right shoulder, arm and cheek, almost tearing up a bit of his lips.

 "_Argh_!"

    Unable to hold back a flow of curses in the agony he stumbled backwards again, distantly hearing Crono and Frog's shouts of worry. Their anguish of being unable to help due to the barrier was nearly overpowered by the sounds of glee from the Mystics.

 'Heal yourself!' the Pawn roared, seeing his pupil momentarily confused by the twisting memories the pain brought back.

 'I'm trying!'

 "Crybaby," Flea smirked, and his cloak flowed around him in a magic wind that began to lift him from the ground.

 "… Power of Water… na matala sela!" Janus snarled through tightly clenched teeth.

    The agony and memories began to subside, but not fast enough. He reared backwards as Flea swept up before him, the thin red-brown eyes shining dangerously.

 "Care to dance?" the Mystic smirked, slamming his foot down on the staff that Janus held in both hands.

    He couldn't retain his grip and the weapon hit the ground.

 "Janus!" Frog helplessly yelled from the other side of the wall.

 'Focus on something!' the Prince shouted, 'he'll try to confuse you!' 

    The two calls came simultaneously, and at the same time Flea grabbed Janus' crag. The wind that kept the white cloak flying rose to roar in the wizard's ears as he tried to get a hold of his opponent's crag. Flea's heavy foot in his stomach stopped that attempt. Out of air Janus fought to breathe and stop himself from bending over. He had to retain balance to be able to keep up with the Mystic…

    The wizard's head spun as he tried to clutch oxygen for his aching lungs, and Flea was more than willing to add to the problems. The storm rose further and the Mystic melted into it.

    Growling Janus forced himself to straighten up, only to be rewarded by a slap straight at the eyes. With a groan and protecting his face with both hands he stumbled backwards and finally lost his balance to the fullest. The wind still managed to whip sand and dust into his eyes and mouth even as he tried to shield himself.

    He got up on one knee, coughing and wildly rubbing his eyes trying to get his sight back. A pull at his hair made him send his free fist backhanding as far over his shoulder as he could reach, but all he hit was cloth that melted aside.

    He could hear Flea giggle gleefully somewhere behind him but was too disoriented to go after the monster yet. The Mystics roared with laughter and cheers now while Crono and Frog sounded more desperate second by second.

 'Focus!' the Pawn and Prince roared in his mind, trying to help but for the moment almost adding to their host's frustration.

 _Look out_! Crono hollered.

    Janus desperately rolled aside and heard the whip crack against the ground. He sure was in trouble now…

 "Squeak, you little rat!" Flea smirked as the wizard blindly avoided another lash. 

    He was apparently not really trying to hit yet, Janus fully knew that he would have been bleeding already if the Mystic hadn't been playing.

    Bless those predator instincts…

    His mouth and eyes burned and made it hard to focus, but he grasped the little he could get from the calls trying to encourage him. And did what he always did when he was in a real jam.

 '_Lai_!'

    For a second his heart almost stopped when there was no reply. Then:

 'What the hell are you doing!? The gem almost set my shirt on fire!'

    Fire… opposite… the spell is…

 'I just needed help to think!' he called back.

 'You figured out you need that already? What are you _doing_?'

 'Just washing my face…'

 "Crancha na lishoro!" Janus wheezed as he rolled aside again.

 "Hey! Cheater!" Flea shouted and floated up above the magic flood that erupted from the ground.

    It wasn't strong enough to harm anyone with its torrent, but Janus hadn't meant for it to be dangerous. He let the cold flow sweep over him, flooding his dry mouth and searing eyes. With a grunt of relief he stood and the water dissolved, leaving him dry but freed from his afflictions. 

    Now the Mystics were snarling but Crono and Frog cheering.

 'You're completely out of the doghouse, sweetheart,' Lai sent, dryly through her confusion.

 'I'm fighting Flea one on one,' Janus grimly thought as the staff leaped to his hand.

 'You're bloody _what_?!' 

 'It looked rather bad for a while but I'm alright now. Let the king and queen know.'

 'Fine, but if you die you'll never be welcome at the castle again for all I care.'

 'Got it.'

    He could almost hear the whole castle shout "_What_ is he doing?!" on the other side of the ocean. 

 'You like giving them headaches, don't you?' the Pawn mildly commented.

 'Me, torment my liege? Blasphemy.'

 'Of course.'

    All three of them let the fact slide that Janus just could have asked his guardians to remind him about the spell he needed. His confusion at that moment was a good excuse.

 "Cheater what?" Janus smirked at the fuming Flea, "you blinded me!"

 "And I like you best that way!" the Mystic snapped and sent out his palm.

 'Shield your eyes!' the Prince called.

    Janus quickly threw up his arm over the upper half of his face and avoided getting his sight blurred by the intense, bright prism of colors slamming at him. It burnt a bit, but he stepped back to get out of the way for the magical attack. 

 'Thanks,' he thought.

 'Just beat him already.'

 'Fine, fine.'

 "My turn," Janus growled as the rainbow helplessly faded, "powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire!"

 "Ack!" Flea snarled and tried to get as far away as possible.

 "Farey shamera na kohn tey ra!"

    Flames exploded from thin air, the heat filling the cupola. Flea screamed in anger and pain as a bright red circle flared out from Janus' body and caught the Mystic in midair. 

    The magician crashed on the ground, the flames fading but his clothes marked with black burns.

 "Get up you idiot!" Ozzie snarled, accompanied by growls from the monsters.

    Stumbling a bit Flea managed to stand, wobbling aside to avoid Janus' staff. The wizard aimed for him again but the magician was tougher than he looked and sprung further away, albeit a little clumsily.

 'Stand still, damn you, I'm trying to make this swift and painless!' the wizard snarled, more to himself than to Flea or anyone in his head.

 'I doubt he'll believe you,' the Prince commented though.

 'Typical.'

    Clutching at his chest while trying to avoid getting cut Flea growled something and softly blue stars crawled over his body, erasing the burn marks.

 'Well damn.'

 'Only fair, cutie,' Flea grimly sent over with a tiny smirk.

 'Point I suppose,' Janus allowed but charged at the same time.

    The Mystic had to duck again as the wizard was too close to hit with the whip, but Flea used the momentum of escaping and lashed his weapon at Janus' unguarded back at the first opportunity. The wizard caught most of the hit by swinging his staff over his shoulder, but the tip of the whip cracked at his shirt. It wasn't a very big wound but it still hurt quite a bit. Growling Janus forced it off his mind, not finding the time to chant a healing spell as he continued the brute force attack. 

    He was met by a storm of lightning bolts and was thrown backwards, crashing into the magic wall several yards away. The Mystics cheered again.

    Janus blinked to get rid of the jumping stars before his eyes, through them seeing Frog staring down at him mere inches away but unable to lend a hand. 

    That was all the wizard had time to register before a second wave of lightning set him arching from the ground in agony. He could vaguely hear his guardians shout at him but couldn't make anything out in the roaring of magical electricity. His every nerve was on fire and he slumped to the dusty soil as it finally ended. 

 "_JANUS_!" Frog and Crono screamed.

 "Stop cheering," Flea snarled to his fellow monster and raised the warily whip, "if that was enough to kill him then he would have been dead years ago."

    The wizard's nails dug into the ground as he rose on his arms, panting but still moving. Sluggishly he worked his ways to his knees, his head hanging.

    With a snarl from the user the whip cut the air in half.

    Janus' arm flew up and caught the lash, his eyes glistening dangerously as he looked up.

 "You know me well after all," he said with a light smirk, grabbing the glowing coil around his wrist, "farey!"

 "Hey!" Flea snarled, but the magical fire slithered over the whip and consumed it within two seconds.

    Throwing the worthless remain aside the magician turned his palms against Janus, snarling.

    Lightning bolts flared towards the wizard, who narrowly got out of the way. He was alive, but obviously not exactly left untouched by the last hits. He groaned as a few of the final bolts caught his left leg straight on. 

    Flea was panting as he cut the last wave and raised his hands again, trying to get another one started. Too late he saw the tiny flask of metal in Janus' hand. The wizard spit the cork out and downed the shining liquid within the same heartbeat.

 "That's not fair!" Flea hollered, sending lightning bolts flying.

 "It's payback for you teaming up with Dalton!" Janus snarled back and dove to safety, getting to his feet.

    Growling in outrage Flea raised his hands again, but he couldn't focus properly in the rising horror.

 'I'll make this quick,' Janus sent out as his hands began to paint runes in the air.

 "Dark powers of the world…!"

    Flea threw himself at the ground, trying to duck the attack. But the complete dark pressure filled the cupola entirely and erased everything except Janus and his staff, even the walls disappeared after a moment.

    The wizard stumbled backwards, tumbling into the safe grips of Crono and Frog. They helped him get his balance back though his head burned, leaving him to himself to recover from the dark force. Somebody had to take care of the raging wave of monsters.

 'That with the elixir was evil,' the spirit Flea commented.

 'I thought you weren't going to watch…' Janus tiredly thought, trying to remember how to heal again. 

    His head was pounding, as always after Dark Matter. 

    And he couldn't really feel triumph either, even if he made a half-hearted attempt.

 'I'm too curious by nature. And don't feel so bad about it, cutie. You know me, I'm not complaining.'

    Unknown for both the wizard and his teacher, the Mystic's spirit and the Prince had a little chat.

 'Did you manage to block him?' Flea whispered.

 'Yes, he didn't notice,' the Prince nodded.

    For even the Pawn shouldn't yet know that the magician was still alive, as that was for all the blue-hairs to find out on their own. 

    Finally Janus managed to get himself together and sent a healing wave at himself to get some energy back. Slash and Ozzie were still left to fight, but he wouldn't be alone with them at least.

 'Oh yeah…'

    As he called for his staff he sent out his mind again.

 'He's dead, Lai.'

 'Good work, sweetheart.'

 'Yeah…'

 'You don't sound as happy as one would expect?' she said, surprisingly careful.

    Janus tried to muster something innocent and believable.

 'Nostalgia I suppose… things will get kinda boring without him around.'

 'You're completely nuts.'

 'I know. I'll get back to you later, still have to kill Ozzie and Slash now.'

    He cut the link before she could start cursing him.


	28. Peacetalks

Chapter 28, Diplomacy

"Retreat!"

    The monsters hesitated, their fingers – if they had any, that was – twitching. 

 "Retreat I said!" Slash snarled in a broken voice, heavily supporting himself on the Slasher.

    He bled from several cuts and bore many burns from fire and lightning apart from that. Still he wasn't the only one with a tight breath. Even if he had been fighting the three intruders close to single-handedly he hadn't left them untouched.

    Now he was on one knee, leaning on his weapon and the arm hanging over the still strong leg. 

 "Lord Slash!" one of the freelancers cackled.

 "Are you deaf?!" the purple monster growled and his eyes almost literally shot needles through the exhaust.

    Crono and Frog glanced at Janus who was holding his hand over a deep cut on his left arm, trying to remember how to heal. 

    The red-hair of the three had been rendered unconscious after a half of the battle and there hadn't been any time for his allies to wake him up until now. It had been too occupying to fight Slash and the Mystics that had gone against his orders and kept fighting. The swordsman had quite a few times expressed a rather hot wish to fight alone, but his tribesmen hadn't always obeyed. If it was for courage, stupidity or loyalty was hard to tell. 

    Ozzie had rushed into the castle as Flea fell. A few of the spectators had followed him but most had stood firm. 

 "Are you listening to me?!" Slash growled as the monsters instead of retreating surrounded him, glaring at the wizard and his companions.

 'They'd never do that to me back home!' Flea pouted.

    No comment was made. It didn't feel necessary. 

    Janus inwardly grunted.

 'Didn't expect them to be that loyal,' he ruefully thought.

 'Your random monster isn't too bright,' the Prince said, 'but you're right, this isn't pure stupidity.'

 'They just have to make things difficult…'

 'Why must it be difficult?' the Pawn said, but the tone of his voice hinted that he hardly could believe himself that he really said it.

 "Na matala sela…"

    Janus straightened up and planted the staff in the ground, not leaning on it but holding it straight up beside him.

 'Yes… why must it?' he slowly admitted.

    Seeing the wizard lower his guard, Frog and Crono choose to trust his judgment and warily put their weapons down without sheathing them. The monsters suspiciously eyed the humans but didn't move, expecting a trick of some kind.

 'If you're going to have him listening you better let me handle some of the facts,' the Prince almost softly said.

 'Alright.'

    Janus let out a deep breath and glanced at Frog who watched him questioningly.

 'I'm not sure,' the wizard calmly sent over.

    The swordsman turned his gaze to the monsters, who despite his growling refused to leave their second in command to his enemies.

 'He helped felling Cyrus,' Frog thought, hesitant however.

 'I know, but are we like them?'

    Silence.

 'They're prepared to protect him with their lives,' Janus said with a mental shook of his head, 'I can't do it.'

    Frog was silent for a moment longer. Then he finally shook his head.

 'At times I fear thy honor is closer to insanity, Janus. What could ever be gained?'

 'I'm not sure.'

    The wizard turned his mind to Crono and quickly explained his intentions. The silent young man reacted pretty much like Frog had done, but didn't argue either.

    Slash's eyes suspiciously narrowed as the staff's blades disappeared with a wave of Janus fingers, but he remained silent. At least until the wizard took half a step forwards and the monsters warningly raised their weapons further.

 "Will you all do as I say and retreat?!" he barked, but there wasn't much hope in his voice.

    As they still played deaf he worked his way back into standing, swayed but refused the support of a goblin. The white eyes were resolutely fixated on the wizard.

 'I'm not the better diplomat of us but I'll handle this,' the Pawn stated as his mind connected firmer with Janus'.

    It wasn't exactly possessing since the host allowed it, and anyhow it was a very light control. More a prompting than anything else, as Janus still was the one making most of the choices with inputs from his guardian when needed.

 "Hey Slash…" the wizard begun, not quite sure where to start this conversation.

 "What?" the monster snarled and swayed.

    Almost absentmindedly a wavering sorcerer reached out and put his hand on Slash's shoulder to support him. The swordsmaster shrugged it off.

 "I'd rather not kill you and your friends here if we don't have to," Janus said.

    The monsters bristled suspiciously.

 "What the hell are you playing, wizard?" Slash growled.

 "You're talking to the man you had strapped on a wall and whipped, and he's not tearing up your throats when he can, why?" 

 "You're nuts," the leading monster dryly said. 

    Janus' lips twitched a little; now it was his guardian working.

 "I'm not nuts," he said, "furthermore, I am not Lardon."

    Since Frog had no eyebrows he could not do as Crono and raise them, so he had to settle with frowning. Even more as he watched most of the monsters' mouths fall open.

    Slash lowered his sword, hardly noticeable.

 "Whuch'e say?" a goblin grunted before the leader of the small army could ask.

 'I have no idea,' Janus ironically thought, but the Prince ignored him.

 "I am not Lardon, and neither is king Guardia," the wizard continued whether he wanted or not, "Lizard ended that bloodline, didn't he?"

 "And you know this just how?" Slash poisonously asked.

 'Was it really wise to bring that in?' Janus wondered, seeing the harsh looks.

 'They hold their history sacred,' the Prince replied, 'I believe it's the best way to crack their defenses, even if they'll shoot needles at first.'

 'Lovely. Carry on.'

 'I wasn't waiting for you to allow it, youngster,' the older blue-hair said with a faint smirk.

 "Lizard, Magician, Snake, Warrior and their children fought for freedom," the Prince prompted, "why are you fighting now?"

 "I asked you how you can know that, human," Slash growled.

 "I have heard the story from my guardians, if you remember from last time we met," Janus calmly said.

    Slash snorted and shook his head.

 "That's fascinating," he said with a venomous voice, "and very informative that you just happen to know our roots. But then, human, why would you bother to talk sweetly with the same creatures that had you tortured?"

    The swordsman didn't give the wizard a chance to think of a reply before he continued, growling:

 "Do you even care _why_ we did that?"

    There was a grunting and screeching from the monsters to empathize what their lord was saying. With a snarl Slash pointed his weapon straight at Frog, who glared back.

 "Oh, don't answer, amphibian, I know," the purple monster said, "it's because we're blood thirsty beast who hate humans."

    He coldly sneered, waving at his fellows to shut up.

 "How about a taste of our view, wizard Janus, great hero of Guardia?" Slash said, turning back to the blue-haired one, "to the humans you are a brave warrior and protector, to us you're a damn murderer!"

    The last word hung in the air for a moment as nobody moved.

 "As were your dear Cyrus," the swordsman finally added.

 'This is your part,' the Prince calmly said and withdrew.

 "I got the idea you were quite enjoying it," Janus said, as emotionless as he could manage when confronting the accusations. 

 "You mean that whole heart or liver discussion?" Slash said with a smirk, "tell me then, what would have happened to me if your king would have gotten me in custody?"

 'This is going just great…'

 'At least you're talking,' Flea commented.

 'Great.'

 "Execution," Janus admitted with an halfway strangled sigh, "but we wouldn't have tortured you."

    Slash dryly smirked.

 "Don't believe that I don't think that you got what you deserved, Janus, even if I would have preferred killing you at the first opportunity," he stated, "if they just would have listened to me we wouldn't have this problem now."

    Frog was about to charge forwards in rage, but Crono managed to hold him back.

 "Perhaps, but then the only difference would be that somebody else than me would have been here now," the wizard said.

    He crossed his arms as well as possible since he was still holding his staff and had no plans of letting go.

 'Let's see now…'

 "I will admit that I have killed many Mystics," Janus gravely nodded, not mocking, "I cannot pledge innocent on that matter. But as you accuse me of being a murderer, I accuse you of starting this war, abducting and murdering humans to eat them, pillaging innocent people's homes, and trying to brainwash a seven year old boy to become your slave."

    The monsters screeched in protest or mockery, but Slash managed to silence them. Eventually. 

 "First of all, the torture and the whole circus with that older version of you all those years ago," the swordsman rather calmly said, "to many, including even Flea, believe it or not, beating a child seemed a little extreme but we weren't going to start a longwinded argument with Ozzie over it for he wouldn't have cared in the end. When we learnt more about you and your guardian or whatever he wanted to call himself, the realization that you were a threat was quite a proof for that you needed to be eliminated."

 "Lovely," Janus dryly said before Slash continued.

 "As for the rest, since we are living beings we need to eat. Do you think there is enough food for every monster on our two rocks here in the ocean? We didn't start a war for fun, wizard."

 'True, it wasn't the entire reason but it counted quite a bit,' the Prince nodded as Janus was a little surprised at this revelation.

 "What about trade?" the wizard commented, raising an eyebrow.

 "Trade? With the humans?" Slash scoffed, cheered on by his fellows, "even so, what would we have to offer you?"

    Janus suddenly smiled, not smirked, lightly triumphant.

 "Oh really now?" he said and held up his staff, "you know this?"

 "All too well," Slash dryly said.

 "I've had the same staff for six years," the wizard informed, "and even though I've used magic to repair it a few times it has withstood assassin after assassin and they were meant to be really strong, no?"

 "As I understand, yes. I'll give you as much. So were are you heading?"

 "It's made out of iron spruce, a kind of wood which is rare and very expensive on the main land."

    Janus pointed behind him with his thumb, at the forest surrounding the stronghold.

 "In conclusion, _that_ kind of wood."

    Slash needed a moment to figure out whether he should find that incredibly stupid or – Lizard forbid – a little valid. 

    A moment that Janus wouldn't give him as there finally was a bit of an upper hand to use.

 "You do have something to trade with the humans, those trees can't be the only thing," the wizard gently said, "furthermore, nobody wants to continue this war, nobody benefits from it. There's only suffering on both sides by now."

    Most of the monsters hissed at the blue-haired human, but Slash shook his head.

 "Listen Janus, there's too much bitterness involved in this," he coldly said, "no monster is too fond of the other, and despite arguments among ourselves we are allies. And Flea was one of the more respected ones, whether you'll believe me or not."

 "I have lost dear friends in the battle as well," Janus calmly said, "Cyrus, Thomas, Glenn who Flea cruelly turned into a frog. Among many others."

    Frog sternly met the mixed glances he got, refusing to turn away in shame like he had been ready to always do not too long ago.

    With his eyes growing colder Janus took the staff in both hands. 

"There's only suffering and loss in this war. And you should know, Mystics, that me and my friends cannot leave here until there is peace one way or another. I'm tired of killing, but if I have to I will replace this castle with a smoking crater."

 "Over my dead body," Slash harshly growled, straightening up and resolutely holding his sword despite his wounds and exhaust.

    The Mystics snarled in stubborn rage.

 "I keep telling you I would prefer avoiding more bloodshed," Janus said, lowering his staff a little.

 "There is no wish for peace here," the swordsman snarled.

 "According to you or Ozzie, Slash? You don't have the manpower anymore, and neither has Guardia. But me and my friends still stand, and we'll wipe you out if we have to, and you know it."

 "Three humans against the remains of the Mystic army," Slash sighed and rolled his eyes, "it's sad."

 "And you're still worried."

    The purple monster growled and shook his head again. 

 "I can't let you enter this castle if I still can stand, Janus," he said in a harsh voice, "and we're not only protecting Ozzie."

 'Hit him!' Flea shouted, 'this is it!'

 "What then?" Janus said, trying not to raise an eyebrow at the voice in his head.

 "Ozzie didn't flee, human," Slash coldly informed, "as Lizard's descendant it's his responsibility to stay guard over our weakest ones."

    He snarled.

 "There you have it, wizard, I won't let you into this castle for the sake of our wounded, women and children."

 "What kind of demon do you think I am?" Janus said with a deep frown.

 "The royal wizard."

 'Alright, that's bloody _it_!'

    Frog was about to leap forward in pure recall of the last time Janus had thrown away his staff, but held himself back as his friend raised his hands while the weapon still was landing on the ground. 

    The Mystics hissed and the ones who still had the strength spread their arms to protect the others when the smooth palms turned at them.

 "Na matala sela!" Janus nearly growled and released a storm of healing stars. 

    Even Slash blinked as the light faded and he, like the others of his cause, found their pain and wounds gone.

 Eh, Janus? Crono said, rather baffled.

 "You call me a demon?" the wizard said in a deadly voice, ignoring the red-hair, "you think I like killing monsters? You think I have enjoyed a spoiled, happy life or what? Say, did Flea tell you that he created my assassins with the help of my father?"

    The looks he got told him that they had been very oblivious of that fact, but that didn't exactly slow him down.

 "My father fears and hates me so much he doesn't hold back for anything to have me killed. My only sister is god knows where, and my mother is in that blasted thing!" Janus snarled and pointed over his shoulder towards the black omen that loomed over the horizon, "she's been in there for thousands of years having her soul devoured by the only real demon throughout history, and I can't save her because I bloody have to be here and get you to quit the war first! I shouldn't even be here, I should have been killed and fed to that demon by my mother's hand! But I came here and I'm going to clean this time up before I can do anything else, understand?!"

    Not until the final word did he really realize the he actually was holding a blinking Slash by the crag and shouting straight at his face. 

 'You're in too much stress, cutie,' Flea mildly commented.

    Setting Slash down while wondering just how he had gotten a grip of the swordsman without getting attacked, Janus somehow managed to swallow the biggest part of his rage.

 "I didn't want to kill Flea," he said in a calmer voice, "but it was inevitable that we would fight and someone had to die in that battle. You know that's true, whether either of us like it or not. Same with the assassins, it was me or them. As for my other murders, I was protecting those that _I_ care for, as you're doing now."

    The staff leaped back to his hand and he crossed his arms, scowling.

 "My friends and liege are counting on me and I _will_ level your last stronghold by the ground if I have to. It's up to you."

 "No, it's up to Ozzie," Slash finally said in a rash voice.

    Janus forced himself not to roll his eyes.

 "You're pretty stuck, in other words?" he grunted.

    With a snort which spoke for itself Slash turned and walked the few steps back to his allies before facing the wizard again. In a way it did prove quite a bit that he dared turn his back at the humans, whether he'd admit it or not.

 "I'm not stupid, wizard. In the current situation any sensible person would understand that peace is the best solution," Slash roughly admitted, "but it's not my place to handle the diplomacy. If anyone here would be in that place anyway."

 "I'm not crazy enough to try reasoning with Ozzie, then I might as well go slam my head into a rock," Janus said.

 'His lips twitched! I saw it!' Flea shouted, stupidly smirking.

 'I'll just take your word for that… I don't seem to get through very well.'

 'Oh, trust me. He isn't stupid, as he said.'    

 "You've got a valid point there," Slash said with a light smirk, "feel free to knock your forehead bloody, I won't stop you."

    He turned his wrist so that the Slasher hung horizontally before his chest.

 "I will have to stop you from entering, however."

 'I doubt we'll get anywhere with this,' the Pawn grunted.

 'He's listening, and that's something,' Flea merrily pointed out, 'now all you have to do is get inside and talk with Ozzie.'

 'You're kidding, right?' Janus dryly thought.

 'I'm sure there's somebody who can make him listen,' the Mystic's spirit said, showing off all his teeth, 'don't you think so, milord?'

    The Pawn was free to raise an eyebrow, Janus had to fight it again as the Prince chuckled.

 'Ah yes, of course,' the oldest of the blue-haired men said, smirking lightly, 'and you claim that you're not evil anymore?'

 'I'm on a break. Now wizard-muffin, will you take a couple of advices from the baddies' side?'

    It took less than a moment to explain, and about the time a thought passes for Janus to send his two allies a message.

 'Be ready to fight again, they're going to be really angry in a second. Can you hold your ground on your own for a minute?'

 'Thou art not going inside on thy own, art thee?' Frog sharply said.

 'No, I'm not going anywhere,' Janus honestly replied. 

 'Hm,' the green swordsman suspiciously grunted.

 "So, I'm not walking up that stair without breaking every bone in your body?" the wizard said aloud, rolling his eyes.

 "In summary, that's about it," Slash agreed, moving his feet into a defensive stance again.

    The other Mystics grunted and screeched, warily changing the grips of their weapons.

    Janus raised his free hand to scratch his hair.

 "I just thought of something," he said.

 "Lizard protect us, now what?" the purple swordsman cautiously said.

 "Just what exactly," Janus said with a smile, "stops me from simply teleporting inside?"

    And with that, he disappeared in a flash of light. 

    At first, the two opposing groups just blinked at the empty spot. Then:

 "You damn bastard!"

 "Janus! I swear, I will have thy head for this!"

 "Hold it you fools!" Slash shouted at the monsters rushing at the castle.

    They stopped and glared at him as he pressed three fingers against his forehead.

 "Ozzie!" he snarled, showing that he was just as bad as Lai with telepathy, "that son of Lardon  must have used my memories to teleport inside, are you… no? Then where the hell is he?"

 What's going on? Crono said with raised eyebrows, glancing at Frog who helplessly shrugged.

 "Who would be able to pierce Janus' misshapen set of mind?" the shorter one said with a grumbled sigh.

    Slash kept pressing his fingers against his forehead for several moments, waving at the Mystics to wait with his free hand.

 "But lord…" one of the freelancers impatiently snarled.

 "We're talking about that damn wizard!" Slash snapped, "if we're going to stop him we need to know where he is so we can attack in a group, understand?"

    He looked up, seeming to listen for a couple of seconds.

 "What?"

    His forehead suffered a massive frown for a second before his almost completely white eyes went wider than usual.

 "_What_?! That's imposs…"

    They all jumped by the sound of a crash from inside. Seconds later the castle gate opened and a screaming Ozzie flew down the stair in a neat bow. The Mystics on the ground leaped aside in pure survival instincts and their king crash landed. He became still, though he still breathed.

 "… ible…" 

    Janus emerged in the open doorway, with a bit of a strange smile. Glancing between Ozzie and the wizard, Slash slowly raised his hand to point at the latter.

 "You, Janus…"

    A shadow moved behind the man.

 "… Are the embodiment of evil."

    The shadow turned into a rather chubby Mystic, with the same kind of smooth scaly skin as Ozzie. They were obviously of the same sort of monsters, as their looks somewhat resembled with the skin, the low eyes and clawed fingers. This one, however, had a teal-green color. And it was also female.

    She wore a white-gray robe that was somewhat dress-like, and a smooth bronze belt around her bulky waist. Her darkly blue hair was set up in a pig tail which was arranged in a strict ball on the back of her head. This showed as she turned to Janus and forced a small monster baby into his grip.

 "Keep an eye on him, wizard."

 "Yes madam," Janus rather goofily said.

 "And don't call me madam."

 "Sorry."

    The female Mystic floated down the stair and the other monsters dove for cover as she grabbed the motionless Ozzie by the crag.

 "Hey! Look at me when I'm shouting at you, you old, fat idiot!" she snarled, shaking the green one.

 'Just _what_ is that?' Crono sent towards Janus in a clumsy but working try at establishing telepathy.

 'Eh, in a second…' the wizard absentmindedly replied, scratching for his shoulder.

    The child that the Mystic had entrusted him was suspiciously alike the original caretaker and the one she was shouting at, just that it was rather thin. And it seemed very fond of climbing. Janus got a hold of the baby's waist and managed to pull him away, though the child whined in protest and got a rather painful-looking grip of the blue hair.

 'She's Ozzie's wife,' he finally could report, holding the protesting baby as far away as he could.

 'She's _what_?!'

 "Err…"

    Slash sheathed the Slasher and approached the married couple, his hands lifted in a calming way.

 "I think he's out cold, Skeeza," the swordsman carefully said.

 "Well it's the only damn way to shut him up enough to listen to me!" she snapped and let her husband thud onto the ground again, wiping her hands.

 "He won't be able to listen like that."

 "It's the same old story all the time."

    Skeeza snorted and waved her hand at Ozzie in a dismissive manner as she turned to the swordsman instead.

 "Janus tells me he's been discussing peace with you too," she informed.

    Slash sent Janus a heated and at the same time rather tired glare before looking back at his queen.

 "Yes, my lady. I just didn't regard it as my place to…"

 "And you're sadly right in that," Skeeza cut him off and furiously nodded, "but you know just as well as I do that we can't go on like this."

 "I know, but not everyone will agree on it and you know that…"

    Skeeza looked around and tilted her head at the other Mystics, who nervously straightened up under her gaze.

 "If you boys think about it for a while, don't you too want peace?" she demanded.

    Without the slightest hesitation the creatures profusely nodded.

 "You'll just get that into Ozzie's head, I wash my hands of it!" Slash sighed, threw up his arms and shook his head as they heavily fell again.

 "You were always the sensible one of you three," the lady Mystic said with a faint smile.

    She shook her head and continued:

 "That Flea would die is a tragedy, but we all know that he wanted to fight Janus to the death and he'd do it again if he was still alive."

    At that Slash crossed his arms and remained silent, his refusal to admit the truth loudly speaking for itself.

    Skeeza smiled in a way that could be viewed as either lovely or deadly, and turned as Janus somewhat unsteadily came over to her and Slash.

 "I'm glad we could agree on it, lady Skeeza," the wizard said and tried to reach behind him for the child, who had gotten out of his grip and was happily hanging in the wizard's shirt.

 "Had I known that you'd offer a peaceful solution me and the other women would have done something about it long ago, wizard," she stated and reached out without looking.

    The baby waved angrily with his arms when taken away from his fun, but calmed down as he got to climb on his uncle Slash instead.

 "I suppose it'll take a few days to talk Ozzie into it," the mother nodded, "I will send someone over to tell you so that we can finish this."

 "It will give me time to explain to king Guardia, as well," Janus said with a faint smile.

    Skeeza smirked at that.

 "I'm sure that it will be quite an interesting talk," she said with amusement, "but I dearly hope he will understand."

 "I promise you that he will, he wants an end of this just as much as everyone."

 "And just how do we know that he's not fooling us here?" Slash snapped, holding back a dear wish to shake the small monster child off his arm.

    With a swift movement Skeeza caught Janus' right lower arm and held it up for all to see. As far as his friends and enemies remembered, the wizard hadn't worn a thin, metallic armband around his wrist before.

 "Because if he does, Guardia will have a left-handed wizard next week."

    She let go while Janus did his best to avoid Frog's glare.

 'Monster diplomacy,' he sent over.

 'Thou art _insane_! And did thee not sayeth that thee would _not_ go in there by thyself?!'

 'I said I wouldn't go, and I didn't. I teleported,' Janus snickered.

 "_Janus_!!" Frog hollered aloud, causing most of the monsters to jump.

    The wizard met Slash's eyes sideways.

 "Yeah, sometimes I think I would have been safer still hanging on your wall than hanging out with my friends," Janus said from the corner of his mouth.

    Slash's rather thick lips twitched.

 'An everlasting rule throughout our history,' Flea informed as the three warriors walked back out into the forest, towards the Epoch, 'for every one of Lizard's descendants there must be a Snake. Or was that a snake for every Janus…'

 Hey by the way, Crono said, glancing at the silent swordsman walking beside him, if Flea's dead, shouldn't Frog turn back into a human?

 "It will take a few days before the spell wears off, I gather," Janus said.

 'That'll be a problem, he'll find out…' the spirit Mystic whispered to his lord.

 'Not if he leaves Guardia soon,' the Prince calmed.

 'True.'

 "All is well then, as the query was answered," Frog said and stopped, "Janus?"

 "What is it?" the wizard asked, stopping and turning to his short friend.

    Back by the fort, Slash was quite relieved when Skeeza finally took care of her son. His will to climb seemed to disappear as his mother held him.

 "Ozzie won't be happy when he wakes up," the swordsman grunted.

 "He's so hard to…"

    She fell silent and curiously looked around as there was a loud smack and a half strangled shout of pain. Through the gates she distantly saw the red-haired human warily backing away from the frog warrior. The green one was rubbing his right fist's knuckles, glaring at Janus as the wizard got up from the ground with a hand pressed against his face.

 "Now we art even," Frog grunted and offered the wizard a hand to get up.

 "I adbit that I deserved that… ow."

    After that, the heroes finally left the island.  

Kudos to Pokefreak_85 who came up with Skeeza's name. ^_^


	29. The day of goodbyes

Chapter 29, One last day

An unearthly wind threw Janus' long hair around, moving the sweaty locks with unnaturally slow movements. The hair got plastered against his skin for short moments before it was torn away in the never ending dance again.

The ground beneath his hands and knees pulsated, feeling hot and cold at the same time as strange colors waved past. He thought that he could see scenes from various places in history somewhere in the blur, but they were too obscure for the tired brain to properly grasp.

A slamming and crashing sound was heard from somewhere ahead, but all directions were distorted.

Help…

Janus tried to stand as he heard the whisper, his right hand weakly fumbling for the broken remain of his staff. Shattered steel glistened just by the border of his sight.

"Hang on…" he hoarsely growled, trying to blink the sweat away from his eyes. 

Something gigantic and white filled up his eyesight and a hairy tentacle slowly pushed at his chin from below, forcing his head upwards.

'**Well, well. Just as I thought.'**

The eerie eyes below the glass bubble shone with abdominal delight.

'**Prince Janus himself.'**

"Took you that long to recognize me?" Janus spoke through his teeth, glaring at the demon before him through eyes thin with pain and grief.

He could see the wrecked shell of Robo lying a few yards behind their enemy. Crono hung in the giant right hand of the beast, his clothes covered with blood and his face hidden by his heavy, sticky hair.

'**I wasn't completely sure,'** the voice smirked, **'my sight isn't what you humans seem to define it as. Quite a feast you have brought me, prince.'**

Crono wobbly raised his head a little, just so that Janus could see his sole working eye. The other had taken a bad slash a few moments ago; even if he survived it wasn't healable.

Do someth… I can't… he whispered without any strength.

His neck couldn't carry his head and it fell again.

**'Humans are silly beings…'** Lavos said with a smirk, **'I killed him once and he still comes back to die again.'**

The lifeless young man was brought up for closer inspection.

**'Hmm… I see he's more powerful than I thought after all. Delicious…'**

Janus weakly scratched for the giant hand before him, gritting his teeth as his left, broken arm screamed through the rest of him.

The indescribable face turned to him again with amusement.

**'What is it, prince?'** Lavos smirked, **'still not giving up?'**

"You damn parasite…"

He was flipped upwards, almost tumbling over on his back but managed to heavily land sitting on his knees. The agony that the broken arm sent flaring throughout his body almost robbed his consciousness. 

If he had had more strength left, that position would probably have made him prefer falling completely. But as it was he couldn't bring himself to care. It didn't matter anymore…

**'Were you saying something?'**

Janus' head slowly shook without any force, his hair whipping at his face.

"It's me you want, damn you," he snarled, "leave Crono alone."

There was a cruel laugh.

**'How cliché, hero.'**

The hand encircled his entire torso and he couldn't do anything about it. Even if Janus had been able to move, his arms were now being pressed against his sides in an iron grip. His wounds and the arm burned, the pain was so intense that he couldn't get a single sound past his lips.

**'Nevertheless, it is true. And I'm hungry after this little fight.'**

The full force of the parasite's will blazed through Janus' mind, tearing every last thought and memory to pieces.

'Janus!'

"Argh!"

With a dampened shout of horror he sat straight up in the dusk. He blinked, disoriented for a couple of seconds.

'Really now, how can a hero like you have nightmares?' Flea's voice surprisingly gently said as the wizard slowly raised his hands to rub his face.

"Good lord…" Janus sighed with relief, still panting a bit.

'Especially considering it was Lavos who should have been on his knees at the end,' the magician added with a chuckle.

'You were really deep down, we've been calling you for the last ten minutes,' Janus' old teacher said and shook his head.

'Lovely,' Janus thought, sighing and throwing the damp blanket aside.

There was a knock on the door.

"Are you alright, lord Janus?" a male voice called, "I heard something…"

"It's nothing," the wizard called back and cleared his throat as he was hoarse of sleepiness, "I just had a nightmare."

"Are you certain there isn't another assassin about to cut your throat?" the guard outside suspiciously asked.

Janus dryly chuckled and stood, a bit wobbly at first but managing. His hand absentmindedly reached out for a light cloak hanging on the wall and he draped it over his shoulders since he only wore a pair of dark, soft pants. He pulled the door open and gave the soldier a tired but calming smile.

"Thanks for the concern," the wizard said, "but I'm fine."

"One never knows when it comes to you, even if the Mystics seem to be complying," the man replied with a slanted smile.

"I doubt you'll have to worry more about me, with Flea dead. Good night."

"The same to you, sir."

Janus closed the door and leaned his forehead against it, his smile fading in the darkness.

'You really won't have to worry about me soon…'

'We're leaving,' the Prince announced.

For once, Flea didn't even comment. He just obeyed, together with the Pawn. It was surprising, but somewhere deep down Janus had understood that the dead Mystic really wasn't such an annoying fellow by nature.

The wizard stood motionless for a handful of seconds, trying not to think.

Finally he went back to his bed and heavily sat down. His eyes had begun to get used to the little light the moon and stars provided, but there wasn't much he could see. Nothing that he normally didn't either. He knew the room like the back off his hand…

'Nighttime isn't the best time to think…' he gruffly reflected, rubbing his forehead, 'every thought seems to become bigger.'

It was not much of a sensible thought, that. But he wasn't in the mood for making sense.

The nightmare wasn't really about Lavos; it was about the wizard's anguish in facing the losses he'd have to go through in the next couple of days. 

With the Mystics and future patched up, nothing bound him to Guardia any longer. At least, there was no threat he was needed to ward off anymore. The kingdom didn't need a wizard any longer, even if most people didn't know it.

The whole Mystic business had been taken cared of quickly. Since there was a magic time limit on the armband Skeeza had given Janus, he hadn't wanted to take any chances and travel in time before he was free of it. He was after all rather fond of both his hands. 

King Guardia had of course been very surprised as the situation was explained, who hadn't been? But the option of a peace treaty was stronger than any surprise, and things were easy enough to line out when both parts understood the deal. Now the monsters were withdrawing from the main land with vague but hopeful promises of future amends and trade.

As Skeeza now knew how things were, she would doubtlessly keep Ozzie and the others under control.

Even Cyrus' soul was put to rest, at last. This eased both Frog and the wizard's guilty minds.

That was all well.

But it severed Janus' life as a royal wizard, if indirectly. Now Schala needed him more than his home did.

He wouldn't have to worry about Lavos anymore either, the Black Omen was destroyed in Zeal and the apocalypse was stopped in the future.

The alien's core had been an easy fight, since it had needed a short while to reload whenever changing attacking mode. That had given the warriors time to send whoever was most hurt off to the End of Time and exchange him or her for somebody who had rested.

As the core was penetrated however, the final group had been decided.

Crono, since he had been the group's leader throughout the journey, not to mention the fact that he had been killed by the beast and deserved to pay it back personally.

Robo; it was his future at stake. He had the full right to fight for his world since he was the one of the warriors who would live with the results.

That Janus would be in the final group wasn't much to argue against, since he had more reasons than anyone else.

After the victory there had been a rather teary-eyed goodbye, of course. So much for the heroes. Of course, they'd meet again, in one way or another…

Janus gazed towards the sky at the thought, his lips almost moving into a smile again. But just almost.

'I suppose it'll be alright…'

But it was sad, in a way.

In any case, it would never be the same again.

'But it'll be better than my future relationship with Guardia…'

Time for retirement…

He silently cursed the word.

Why did it have to be so hard?

Sighing, he stood and looked out of the window. The familiar landscape with the trees and distant ocean greeted him, as he was used to.

It was his second last night in this room.

'Might as well be my last, if Lai gets me drunk again tomorrow I'll end up in the infirmary…'

He smirked a little, joylessly.

Tomorrow…

'Great, just great…'

With a grunt he tiredly rubbed his eyes.

Celebrations were just fine in his view; there would be one for the end of the war in all towns. But there would be a ball in the castle, open for everyone, but a ball nonetheless. And that wasn't exactly on the list of things the wizard was fond of.

He would have preferred that his last day in Guardia would have floated past just as they normally did, but it was just as well that the ball marked the end. For even though he truly loved his life in the kingdom, worry for Schala was pulling at him and he knew he should leave as soon as possible.

He sighed again and shook his head.

Schala needed him, but there were others that also did.

Janus closed his eyes and tried to wrestle his thoughts off a certain young woman. As usual, it didn't work very well.

He didn't feel very tired, and anyhow his sheets didn't feel very welcome since he had been sweating a lot of the nightmare. The wizard chose to forget the fact that he could change them with a mutter and wave of his hand. 

Instead he shook his head as he muttered another spell, while gripping the cloak's lace so that it got draped tighter around him. As the cloth settled he vanished from human sight. Invisible and untouched by any material he left his room, walking straight through the door. 

Like a ghost spreading a gentle breeze the royal wizard moved through the familiar halls of the castle, without any real plan. Just reliving it for the last time in the position he had gained. He avoided all rooms where people were sleeping, because he knew it would be too painful to see anyone right then.

Outside, the spirits were talking, unheard and just as unseen as the one they had been watching over. Well, two of them were. 

Flea "sat" on the branch of a tree, several yards above ground. He swung his seemingly delicate legs while humming to himself, as if he was trying to ignore the world. 

'I suppose I better go back to my own quest,' the Pawn said and glanced at the silent castle, 'he'll just follow my trace now. Still, it seems wrong to leave him when he's already being torn up as it is.'

'He probably don't want us watching him on that stupid ball,' the Prince replied, more gruff than needed which showed that he was hesitating as well, 'it wouldn't surprise me if he can dance too.'

He pinched the bridge of his nose at the final phrase, tightly shutting his eyes in disgust.

'Well, at least I didn't teach him that,' the old teacher said with the hint of a smirk.

'I give you as much.'

They were silent for a moment, during which the Prince threw a glance at Flea while frowning as he tried to place the melody.

'I know I shouldn't ask,' the Pawn finally sighed, 'but…'

His mirror even smiled a little, despite the repeated glance at the Mystic.

'You're near the right place,' the older said, 'keep looking.'

'They could have saved us some time and made the damn library a little smaller.'

'Guardia history.'

'Thank you.'

The Pawn watched the older warlock for a few seconds, then followed his deepened frown towards Flea. The Mystic smirked without looking up or letting his humming stop.

'What is it?' the younger asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Quit singing that idiotic song,' the Prince growled.

Finally the third spirit looked up and snickered with wide eyes.

'But, but milord, I wrote it myself just for you!'

'What?' the Pawn said, rather surprised.

'It's one of the worst things he ever thought of,' the Prince coldly said and glared at his old general, 'now stop it or you'll "have something to fear _because_ I'm near".'

'No, no, you got it wrong,' Flea instructed and swiftly ducked, 'it's "as long as you're near, there's nothing to fear", you rephrased it. Yikes!'

'It wouldn't have made sense if he hadn't,' the Pawn commented, unheard since Flea was too busy trying to get away and the Prince too occupied with trying to get a hold of his throat.

The younger spirit shook his head.

'I don't want to know…' he muttered to himself.

Morning came, as it usually did.

The castle and Truce bristled with activity even before the sun rose, as the inhabitants tried to fix the last minute preparations as quick as possible, before the evening even begun thinking about approaching.

With a hundred things to do, nobody noticed that a small group of people weren't participating in the happy laughter and talks. Especially as those three did their best to stay alone, managing more or less.

'You'll just give us a call whenever you need us and we'll do our best to show up,' the Pawn kindly said.

Janus tried to smile a bit, idly turning the pages on the book before him, leaning his cheek in his hand.

'Hate to admit it but I think I'll miss your bickering,' he admitted.

'Oh, you're welcome,' Flea said, his arms loosely hanging like his pigtail.

He looked up with a slight grunt and wrinkled his nose at the Prince.

'Hey, are you going to let go or not?'

'At least now we'll all be free of headaches,' the oldest blue-hair calmly said, completely ignoring the Mystic whose ankle he casually held on an arm's length.

Janus joylessly smiled.

'Always a good thing. You three take care now, as well.'

'Don't worry about it, as long as this guy here keeps from getting poss…'

Flea didn't get any longer as the Prince said his goodbye and vanished, taking his old general with him.

'Keep an eye on the boy you saved, will you?' the Pawn said with a faint smile, 'no telling what he and his Flea manage to get themselves into.'

'I will.'

'Good luck on your journey.'

'The same to you.'

'Just promise me to never again do anything alike the things you've done with us watching.'

Janus even chuckled at that.

'I'll do my best not to,' he said.

'I can't really believe you, but there's always hope…' the Pawn smiled and vanished.

The wizard leaned back and sighed a bit. His head felt utterly empty again, it would take a while to get used to it.

'I hate facing losses…'

He stood and put the book aside, running his hand over the small shelf of books. Half of the shelf was occupied by the scrolls of magic that he had studied, all well sealed with magic not to fall into the wrong hands. Of course, no human apart from maybe Lai and Glenn would have any use for the texts, but you could never be too sure. 

The books were some notes he had done on his own about magic – sealed just like the scrolls – and a few historical novels that he'd gotten from various people as gifts. When there wasn't any training to take care of or assassin attacking, even Janus needed something to do.

With a snap of his fingers the scrolls and books disappeared. That was about it, he hadn't exactly collected many personal objects.

He crossed the floor to his not exactly impressive wardrobe and opened it. Well, he could use the change of clothes of course. Off they went with a snap. All but one set, which he took out with a grunt and held up for inspection.

It had taken a bit of a strain to keep this off his mind when thinking of the ball. His oldest mirror had vented a lot about Janus' way of acting – several times truly rightfully – but this might just have done it. The wizard hadn't even wanted his teacher commenting, and definitely not Flea. 

It was bad enough as it was.

Music lingered out from the castle, mingling with the tunes heard from the town not too far away. Lanterns lit up the paths through the forest and things were overall a lot more noisy than usual.

Frog did his best to smile and reply well whenever anybody greeted him, but he couldn't really muster the joy that the celebration asked for. He already carried the loss that the following day would carry to Guardia.

And it seemed he wouldn't be able to use the evening as he would have wished; talking about old times with Janus and Lai would have been favorable. But the lady of their troop was nowhere to be seen, and getting a hold of the wizard would be quite a problem.

Leene's guardian got his share of praise as a hero, finally everyone was treating him as an equal despite his appearance. He wished he could enjoy it more, even if it soon wouldn't mean much since the spell was about to break. 

But the main attention was put on Janus. Frog couldn't even see his friend for all the people, but he could hear him trying to excuse himself. A faint smirk touched the guardian's big lips, however it had a short lifespan.

"Is something wrong, Frog?"

He turned and looked up at queen Leene, bowing politely.

"My mind is simply clouded with a slight worry for the future, my liege," he admitted.

She crouched down a little to get into his eye-level, with the whisper of moving flounces and silk. Her dress this night had a shade of teal, not much unlike the light-green dress she normally wore. A golden necklace with a few blue gems glistened around her neck. 

He guardian hadn't bothered to dress up for the occasion; he still didn't like mirrors and anyway he didn't have any special clothes. He wore his normal white shirt and blue pants, but had at least exchanged his green cloak to a somewhat lighter one in a blue hue.

"What is it?" the queen said with a friendly tone that ached in her friend's chest.

Frog figured that he might as well let some of his worries go. She and everyone else would discover the lie about him soon enough and he would hopefully feel less like a traitor…

As for Janus' leave, it was not his place to announce it.

"The nature of the curse that binds me to this form is that it is connected to the spell casters' life," he told his liege, "and thus, as Flea is dead I will soon become a human again."

"But that is wonderful, is it not?" Leene said with a careful smile, confused by her guardian's sadness.

Frog slowly nodded.

"'Tis true, I desire my human guise. However I fear that when I revert, the truth that was hidden will anger many."

"How so? Don't worry, I promise I won't get mad at you."

"As the war raged on, I saw the need for people to retain their hope less they would suffer greatly. Thus, I…"

He trailed off and looked away.

"I could not bring the sad news to thee, to anyone," he bitterly said, "that Cyrus had fallen under the hand of the Mystics and his friend was left alive but horribly twisted by evil magic." 

The sound of a quick intake of breath hurt like daggers.

"So is the truth," he forced himself to say, "I hath deceived thee and I even made Janus follow the lie in my fear of bringing such foul news."

For a moment none of them said anything. Then Leene finally spoke. 

"So you are Glenn?"

He nodded, silently. The queen reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, making him look up.

"I understand that you had reasons, since everybody put their trust in Cyrus to defeat Ozzie," she said and smiled a bit, "lying is not a particularly good thing, but we did need the light of hope during the war. So let's call it a guardian lie, shall we?"

For the first time during the evening Frog managed to smile honestly.

"I thank thee, my liege."

"We've gone through too much in the last few years to let such a thing tear up alliances," she gently said.

She chuckled a little.

"I know you have a problem dancing as it is now, so let's say we're saving that until the curse wears off."

"'Twould be an honor," Frog said, returning the short laugh.

He glanced at the crowd surrounding Janus and smiled a bit.

"Right now I trust our wizard would be happy to be saved from the attention, however," he said.

Leene straightened up, still letting her hand rest on her guardian's shoulder.

"I can see that…"

She looked around and frowned.

"Where is Lai, come to think of it?"

"I hath not seen her…" Frog said and shook his head.

"Oh well, I'll see what I can do to rescue Janus, as she's not here. I will see you later, Glenn."

"I thank thee, Your Majesty." 

The queen smiled at him one last time and then crossed the floor, slyly using her authority to get through to Janus. He gratefully bowed as she asked for a dance and followed her to the open floor.

This was another thing he was glad his guardians did not see. He hardly believed it himself.

Frog's smile managed to survive for a few more moments, floating in relief. But eventually the next problem returned to haunt him again.

'Where _is_ Lai?' he thought, glancing around again.

Her absence was starting to worry him. She should be present in the castle… Lai definitely wasn't the kind to duck out of something like her teacher's last night in the country. Her feelings for the celebration in itself was shared by the rest of the magic using trio though.

For a moment his mind touched the possibility of still hostile Mystics, until his logical sense pointed out that if any monster had attacked Lai then it would have been heard. If not for the burning screams, then at least Janus should have gotten a telepathic call.

In the middle of the thoughts Frog couldn't help but smirk a bit. Everything seemed to circle around Janus sometimes.

'No matter how much he attempts to shove it away…'

He collected himself quickly though and started moving through the great hall, looking around for the female magician. But she was nowhere to be found.

The heat inside was starting to wear him out, and as he couldn't find his friend he decided to take a break to get some fresh air. Exciting the great hall and walking outside, he threw a glance down the stairs and couldn't help but roll his eyes at the coincidence.

"Why art thee here and not inside?" he gently asked as he sat down beside Lai on one of the lower steps.

Despite the early October it wasn't a very cold night, but the last days had been unusually warm overall. It was probably the only reason that Lai could sit outside, considering her outfit. Despite herself, everyone's given up hopes and the laws of the universe she wore a dress. 

It was in a smooth, creamy white cloth and plain without any adornments, reaching down just above her ankles as it was stretched by her pose. The sleeves were slick against her arms down to the wrists were they fell down in a few big waves of silky material. A matching cloak gently flowed down Lai's back and the flame necklace glistened around her neck.

The wearer didn't look very gentle, however, not with her heavy leaning on her own knees and the half emptied wine glass in her hand.

"Why would I?" she gruffly said and took a deep swing of the liquid.

"Art thee drunk?" Frog carefully said.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it."

She glared at the glass and smirked for a second.

"This is about what he needs to go out like a light. Weakling…"

Her sneer died and the glass shattered against step higher up the stair.

"Goddammit!" Lai snarled and slammed her forehead down on her knees.

Very carefully Frog put his small hand on her shoulder.

"If thou care for my advice, this night should not be spent in pity like this."

"There's no damn use, Glenn!" she snapped and shook her head without looking up.

"Thou _will_ regret it."

"I already am…"

She straightened up and leaned her cheek in her hand.

"The worst part is that he expects me to get married and have a bunch of stupid kids so history can bloody close. I swear I'd strangle Lucca if I could…"

"'Twas probably why neither Janus nor me allowed her to enter the castle if we could prevent it," Frog mildly said.

"Damn traitor…" Lai grunted.

"I apologize, my friend."

Lai muttered something inconceivable, looking away to avoid the big, black eyes' understanding sadness. For a moment none of them said anything, then she frowned when she heard Frog chanting in a low voice.

"What the heck are you… aww, _Frog_!" she complained as the light mist she had managed to assemble drifted away from her mind, "now I have to start all over again!"

The short swordsman smiled warmly as he stood.

"I wish thee the sweetest evening of thy life," he said and walked back up the stair.

"Fat chance…" Lai muttered, turning away again as a white figure took the green one's place, "and you look like a bloody saint in that outfit as usual."

Janus heavily placed his arms on his knees with a soft sigh.

"Yeah, I know."

It was simply described as white. White shirt and pants, with a belt decorated with a golden buckle. Spiraling and twisting embroideries in gold threads fell down his chest as well. And on top of that the cloak even carried a picture of Guardia's royal crest.

In golden threads, what else.

"Was wondering when you'd get out here," Lai finally muttered, bitterly.

"Took Frog to find you for me and Leene to get me away from the peacocks."

"You really can't do anything on your own, can you?"

"Not in these situations."

Janus tried to chuckle but it turned into a groan and his forehead connected with his arms.

"Goddammit…"

"And quit mimicking me," Lai said, rather harshly as she wasn't in the best of moods.

"Alright, how about 'shohkon' then?" Janus muttered without moving.

"You just said the same in Zealan, didn't you?" she grunted in a bored voice.

"Pretty much."

They sat in silence for a while. 

Eventually Lai glanced at her teacher and couldn't help but feel a softer bitterness as she watched his slumped form. 

A couple of people passed by on their way into the castle, giving the pair of magic users on the step puzzled looks. But they came to the wise decision of staying off and just passed by.

"Come on now, you look pathetic sweetheart," Lai finally murmured, much kinder than before.

Janus looked up and managed a joyless smile.

"I still can't define why your insults makes me feel better," he said, absentmindedly somewhat.

Lai shook her head and plopped her cheek back into her hand.

"Probably because you know I'm not really insulting you," she grunted.

Sighing, the wizard bent his neck and watched his white-clad arms.

"Yes, that's it."

Another silence fell, so thick with unsaid words that you would need the sharpest sword in all history to cut through it.

It was broken with the sound of gritted teeth.

"I can't believe this!" Janus snarled and straightened up.

"Hey!" Lai shouted in pure surprise as his arm encircled her waist and swiftly pulled her closer.

She wasn't against it, it was just that that had been the last thing she had expected. 

Janus shook his head and avoided her raised eyebrows.

"I hate the mere thought of what I have to do," he growled, "this is my last night here and I _refuse_ to spend it in this damn cold!"

There was a snort and the side of Lai's head gently landed on his shoulder, almost making him jump. He had rather awaited a backhand straight in the face and been prepared to take it too. After all the times he'd chosen to neglect her due to history's needs, punishment for a badly timed sign of affection was the least Janus thought he deserved.

"Now you're all tense," Lai muttered, finally smiling a little.

"Awaiting to be well done any second now."

"Bah, you need to relax, sweetheart."

"So you say?" Janus said with a chuckle.

"You've got too much on your mind, and you deserve some enjoyment," she continued in a sweet, mocking enticing voice, "besides, you're funny when you're drunk."

The wizard rolled his eyes and softly laughed.

"I was rather hoping you'd do me the honor of lending your lovely company for the rest of this tiresome ball, young lady," he said.

"You've been around Frog _far_ too much, hon."

"My nose thinks so too," Janus muttered, absentmindedly rubbing the now healed nose bridge that the swordsman had broken.

Lai laughed and straightened up, stretching her arms before her.

"Oh very well, just since you asked so nicely and I'd love to piss off those noble hens in there," she said.

"I'm honored."

With a chuckle he stood and offered her his arm, and she hooked hers on his with a light smirk.

"Just one thing, royal wizard," she said as they began walking up the stair.

"What?"

"Do something fairy taleish tonight, and I'll set your hair on fire."

"Oh no," he deeply sighed, "and the rain of roses by midnight would have been _so_ pretty!"

"Can't be helped."

They exchanged grins and entered the music and warmth spilling out into the autumn night from Guardia castle. Tomorrow would be later, this night was theirs.

I had originally planned for Lai and Janus to kiss on the stair, but… it just didn't work. Sorry all Lai fans. Buuut, you never know… ;) Part 2 is in the works, might be out already when you read this.


	30. Resignment

Chapter 30, Farewell, my Guardia

Author's note:

    I understand many would have wanted to see the fight against Lavos. But, I felt that after all that Janus had gone through with the Mystics, Lavos wasn't his main goal anymore, it was Flea. Therefore I decided to let the fight against the magician remain as the climax. Writing out the battle with the parasite would have destroyed that.

    Now, the final chapter for part one.

Frog yawned as he stepped down the stair towards the throne room. It was almost ten am, but he was just as drowsy as anyone else after the late evening. There were possibly a few guards used to night shift who were alert today, everyone else would spend a day in a somewhat insecure state.

    The swordsman stopped beside one of the storage rooms of the castle, on another platform making a difference in the stairs. With a sigh he rubbed his thick neck.

    It would be a sad day today, the suppressed anguish he had felt last night would be set free throughout Guardia at the loss of their wizard. Frog sighed deeply again, shaking his head.

    Then he looked up in surprise as he heard the sound of somebody nearly falling down a stair; insecure, quick steps and a cry of someone desperately trying to maintain balance.

    Janus – now in a less white set of clothing but more normal purple and gray – almost tumbled down the steps, heavily leaning on the wall and pressing a hand against his forehead.

 "God, I'll kill Lai!" he snarled.

 "What ails thee?" Frog worriedly asked.

 "The hangover is becoming my demise!"

    Despite his sinking feeling a few moments ago, the queen's guardian couldn't help but smirk.

 "I believed that thee had decided to fight against her attempts last night," he mildly commented. 

 "I thought so too… argh…" Janus groaned and leaned his pounding head at the somewhat cold stone wall.

    He sort of melted down into a sitting position. There wasn't any more suitable word for the movement.

 "Can't see the king like this…" he winced, weakly rubbing his temples.

    Frog's sneer died and he sat down beside his friend.

 "I suppose that is becomes my task to heal thee, so that thee can resign from thy position in a suitable way," he bitterly said with a hint of irony. 

 "Would appreciate the healing at least," the wizard grunted without looking up.

 "Powers of the world…"

    Janus straightened up with a relieved sigh a moment later.

 "Thanks."

 "Thou art welcome."

    With a sigh Frog leaned his chin on a fist.

 "I'm sorry," the wizard said in a low voice, shaking his head.

    His friend attempted a smile.

 "Thy sister means a lot to thee, and 'twould be a dark sin to leave a fair maiden lost in history without seeking to aid her. Thou dost only what thou must, even so it pains us all."

    Janus stood, briefly putting his hand on Frog's much smaller shoulder.

 "But I promise you, Glenn, I'll return someday."

 "I dearly hope so, my friend," the green warrior said as he got to his feet, managing another small smile, "but also promise me to be careful during thy travels."

    The wizard smirked a bit.

 "Yeah, I better do that since I won't have anyone who can break in and save me anymore in case of emergency."

 "In conclusion, thou art doomed," Frog stated with a chuckle.

 "Probably… by the way…"

    Janus stopped and looked up at the roof.

 "Wouldn't Lai be feeling terrible too?" he said, a hint of concern in his voice despite all.

 "Heh," Frog said with a renowned snicker, "I believe the amount of water she drank last night saved her from the pain."

    The shorter one got a pained glance.

 "That's all you have to do to avoid that living hell?"

 "Aye. So I hear."

 "Ah."

    Janus sighed and shook his head.

 "I swear, one of these days I'll kill her …" he muttered as he descended the stairs.

 "Should thee not wait for her?" Frog called after him.

    There was a brief pause before the reply.

 "She told me that she didn't want to watch," Janus finally replied, and after another moment, "at least, I _think_ she told me that. I can't really remember…"

    The queen's guardian walked down a few steps to see the wizard press two fingers against his forehead.

 "Are you awake?" he muttered in a low voice.

    Three seconds' silence.

 "I see."

    He let the hand fall and continued down the stair without meeting Frog's eyes. With a sigh the swordsman followed in his friend's steps.

    One couldn't claim that anyone in the throne room looked very alert. Even Leene was slumping a bit on her throne, as nobody really was in the right mood to care for proper behavior she and a couple of guards held a cup of coffee each.

    Janus halted for a second in the door to take in a deep breath before stepping inside. Turning right and walking a few more steps brought him to the middle of the thrones' platform. He turned to the king and queen, bowed his head and placed his fist on his chest to greet them.

 "Good morning, my liege," he said without looking up.

    Frog silently took his place on Leene's left side, closing his eyes momentarily. He opened them again and forced a smiled reply as the queen mumbled a good morning.

 "No use for such formalities this morning, Janus," king Guardia said and cleared his throat to get rid of the slight hoarseness, "I don't think any of us are up for it."

 "I understand, Your Majesty," Janus said in a controlled voice, "and even though it pains me, since I know how tired we all are and because it already brings me sorrow, I must bring up one formality."

    Leene slowly put down her coffee cup, a frown seeming misplaced on her smooth forehead. Frog looked down at the floor, clenching his fists. The guards looked up in confusion by his words.

 "What do you mean?" the king concernedly said, straightening up.

    Janus kept his head bowed, his eyes tightly shut as he sat down on one knee. As he had been many times before, to greet the king who he owned gratitude and respect. 

    As he had been on his birthday nearly three years ago, when he had arisen as the royal wizard.

    It took a great deal of will to keep the voice calm.

 "I came here as a child, I don't know how many of you remember it. A man very alike me brought me, some thought that he was my father. In a way, that was true but not fully. What I want to tell you about him is that he had gone through many ordeals to save me from death in the land we were born, and from the Mystics as we came here."

    He had to take in another deep breath, without really wanting to creating a moment where dark realization began to grow in the listeners' hearts.

 "The reason that both of us knew magic was never fully explained, as none of us wanted to create confusion. But I will let the truth be known now, that I was born in a world different from this one and a magic accident threw me and my savior here. However, my sister, my only relative, got left behind and I do not know what happened to her."

    Again he paused, the hand that had been spread over the floor in front of him clenching. He continued before anyone else had time to speak and bring him off balance.

 "I lacked the ability to go back to my world and search for my sister Schala before, my liege, my friends, and even as I gained it I still knew that Guardia needed me. But now that the Mystics are no longer a threat, the need to help Schala is calling me. Therefore, I wish to resign from my position as royal wizard and leave Guardia in pursuit of her."

    A thick silence filled the room.

    Frog glanced aside and saw Leene's hand squeezing the armrest so hard that her delicate knuckles were turning white.

    King Guardia had lowered his head.

    Another moment passed by before he straightened up again.

 "I hate to see you go, Janus," the king slowly said, sadly, "and I am not alone either. But with the reasons you give us, how could I refuse you to leave?"

 "Thank you, my liege. Believe me, I'm not leaving here with a light heart."

    The king smiled a bit, joylessly.

 "I can hear that very well in your voice," he admitted.

    Janus finally stood, his hand drawing a flaring stroke in the air to summon his staff. He took the familiar wood in both hands and planted his weapon in the floor before his feet, still without raising his head.

 "You have done more for me than I think you'll ever fully understand, my liege," he said with half a smile, "and you all have my word that if I can, I will come back someday."

 'I keep promising,' he thought with an inner sigh, 'if I'll be able to, that's another thing…'

    It felt somewhat empty not to get an encouraging, sarcastic or silly comment on thoughts like that anymore.

    He finally looked up and moved the staff aside, taking it in his right hand only to bow to the king and queen.

 "I'm sorry for choosing this moment when everyone is exhausted," he said, "but I didn't want any commotion, I hope you understand that."

    Slowly king Guardia nodded. Queen Leene sighed and lowered her head for a moment.

 "As for now, I bid you farewell, Your Majesties."

 "Be careful, Janus," Leene said with a hint of harshness in her eyes, "even if the Mystics are peaceful here I highly doubt you'll thread any paths free of enemies."

    At that, the wizard managed to smile properly.

 "You are probably right, Your Majesty. I'll be careful."

 "You're always welcome back," king Guardia clarified in a friendly voice, "and that's to your title as well as your home."

    Janus' fingers clenched around the staff as he tried to keep the sorrow from shoving in his eyes. The kindness in the king's words cut like daggers down his throat and chest.

 "Thank you, my liege. Farewell."

 "Goodbye, Janus."

    He turned around and walked out of the gates from the throne room and further ahead through the main gate, passing drowsy guards giving him puzzled looks. 

    For a brief moment he felt guilty for letting almost everyone only know through rumor about his leaving, but as the grief of loss clawed at his heart that feeling singed off.

    The two soldiers that stood outside of the castle mumbled good mornings, but Janus only waved a little without even looking at them. He hurried down the stair onto the muddy road, his steps growing faster until he ran. Not until the castle was completely hidden by the trees and their last remaining leaves did he stop, trying to catch his breath for a second before he clenched his teeth and began muttering the spell to open a Gate.

    A sparkling dark hole opened before him in thin air, quickly growing until it was big enough for him to step through.

    A pebble hit the back off his head in the middle of his step.

    With a wince Janus turned, expecting to see a smirking imp. He saw a glaring Lai instead.

 "You know, any other woman would probably say something like 'I forgot to give you something yesterday' and then kiss you goodbye," she said in a cold voice as she passed the distance between them and crossed her arms.

 "I know, but we both hate those sappy scenes," Janus said with a powerless smirk.

 "Precisely. So…"

    She reached up and grabbed the back of his neck.

 "I'm just going to kiss you and that's it, alright?" she snarled.

 "Fair enough..."

    Even if Lai already was pushing at him Janus freely bent down the bit needed to meet her lips for a brief caress. 

    At the same time as a gentle, warm stream flowed within him, the tearing of loss was stronger and it was only painful.

    When his student let go he smiled a little without any joy behind it, turned and disappeared into the darkness. It closed behind him and Lai stood alone, watching the empty spot and growling bitter curses of suppressed rage.

    With a final snarl she spun around and hurried back towards the castle to find whatever alcohol was left from the night before. She wouldn't normally use such means to dull inner pain, but it was pounding at her with every furious beat of her heart and quickly growing to more than she could handle.


	31. Epilogue of part one

Epilogue, A look on a third one

 'When theoretically months are laid upon months, it gets more tiring than it should be allowed to…' Janus tiredly thought, idly stroking a finger over the bookshelf and glancing at the dust before he rubbed it off.

    Moving through time like he had done for weeks turned out becoming horribly confusing and it gnawed on him. And the bitter taste in his mouth refused to leave even if it had been so long ago since he left his friends. 

    The knowledge that he most probably had Lavos sleeping deep within his mind wasn't helping either, as he was rather afraid of any negative feeling giving the Prince's warnings.

 'Ah well, this has to be better than moving around mindlessly through history…' Janus thought, glancing around at the forest of bookshelves.

    Searching through an entire library – and one of this size, at that – for records of a blue-haired woman was of course not an easy task either, but a small lie to the librarians at least gained him a bit of help in the search. 

    He had told them that he believed to be an unknown descendant to the fabled wizard of Guardia and was looking for facts about his heraldry. That had truly gotten their interest. 

    It didn't help much in the search but finding that he had left quite a mark in the country's history did make him feel a bit proud. Even though it fueled his feeling of being away from the place where he belonged. 

    In this gigantic library were countless writings that described his deeds, many which made him raise his eyebrows and once he had gotten strange looks for not being able to hold back a laugh at the absurdity.

    The stories became less and less attached to reality as the truth moved further into the past, turning him into somewhat of a half god. And Flea into a demon, being his rival. There were tales that mixed him up with Cyrus and stories with no relation to reality whatsoever.

    What puzzled Janus was that Lai didn't seem to have a place in Guardia's history. He had only seen a couple of brief notices about her being a friend or student of his, but apart from that nothing. In the back of his head the wizard had somewhat expected her to assume his title in his absence, but had to come to the conclusion that she probably had left the castle to get married or something similar. 

    Glenn wasn't mentioned much either, only as the monstrous guardian of queen Leene, which was strange as well…

    Brushing off all the thoughts Janus ran his hand over the books, his other arm hooked onto the ladder keeping him several yards above the floor. Even if it was rather early in the morning he didn't want to risk floating in the air while searching for any book that looked interesting, in case someone would see him.

    The tips of his pointing and middle finger hooked onto a age worn, lightly cracked back of a book, and the hand might have continued over the row if something hadn't caused the wizard to freeze in his position.

 'Can you hear me?'

    The voice calling to his mind was familiar, and in the way it was so it was also quite eerie.

    It sounded just like Janus himself.

 'Ah, it's you,' he mildly sent back, 'what is it?'

 'I need a favor.'

 'What then?'

    There was a brief pause.

 'I hate having to ask, but I have to watch Glenn right now so I can't go…'

    Janus frowned.

 'What has happened? Is Glenn hurt?'

 'Yes… but he's fine.'

    There was a sigh.

 'And Cyrus won't feel anymore pain… it's Flea that I'm worried about.'

 "What the hell?" Janus growled aloud.

    The book that his hand had rested on got dragged along as the wizard slid down the ladder and hurried towards a smaller side corridor between two bookshelves. It was a bit more secure than the open field he currently was in.

 'What happened?' Janus demanded while he rushed over the floor.

 'Before Glenn lost consciousness again he told me that as they were cornered by the Mystics with Cyrus dead, Flea pretended willing to change sides again and turned Glenn into a frog to prove it. That's all I know. It's just a temporary spell, so he didn't really betray us.'

    Another sigh.

 'He told me as he decided to come with Cyrus that we both knew that Glenn's life was in danger; if there wasn't anyone to bring the curse upon him he could be killed instead. I never thought Flea was gonna make such a sacrifice though.' 

 'I'm coming.'

    The wizard turned around the corner and looked around just to make sure nobody was in the area. Since all seemed clear he raised his free hand and began muttering the spell for Gates between time streams. The book he held remained where it was, since he didn't bother to remember it for the moment being. He quickly dove through the flashing darkness and stepped out in a nostalgic scene.

    A campfire sparkled a few feet away from two figures, one lying down on a bedroll and the other kneeling by the first one's side, wrapping up a wounded arm in a bandage. The damage that magic had done in the flesh needed more time than regular wounds to heal. A river floated by behind the back of the caretaker, oblivious to the battle that had taken place as another part of it had passed by earlier.

 "You're not teleporting there, are you?" the younger Janus said, saving the greeting for business.

    His clothes were very much alike his teacher's choice of wardrobe; a light shirt and dark blue pants with sturdy boots to go with them. He also wore a gray cape, the hood hanging between his shoulders.

 "I'll take a look first," the Wizard grimly said as he sat down in the grass on the other side of Frog, "and if we can then we'll get him out somehow. You make sure Glenn doesn't see me if he wakes up."

 "Gotcha."

    Silence.

 "What?" Janus said.

    The Wizard blinked as if he just awakened from a deep thought, then shook his head and waved with a hand.

 "Never mind, I think I just realized how another version of us felt when he met me."

 "What about it?"

 "No matter, I'll go check on Flea."

 "Alright."

    The Wizard stretched out on the ground and closed his eyes. Moments later a transparent image of him stood up from the motionless body. Janus nodded at him and pointed at what was left, calling upon an illusion of thin air to hide the shell.

    He who was the first of the blue-hairs to serve Guardia turned to the northeast and hurried towards the evil castle, rushing alongside the night winds. As he saw the ominous tower he slowed down momentarily to turn completely invisible before diving inside. 

    Unsure where Flea could be the Wizard floated through the walls and floors, hoping to find the magician or clues to his whereabouts in talks between Mystics. 

 "… oody dangerous, I'm not taking any risks!" a thick, familiar voice snarled.

 'Aha.'

    The Wizard stopped, hanging unseen in the middle of the room where Ozzie glared at the furiously pacing Slash.

 "That damn traitor has no place here!" the swordsman snapped, "I bet my sword hand that he's bluffing!" 

    The Wizard sighed lightly of relief as he understood that the strange Flea still was alive.

 "You go ahead and tell it to his face," Ozzie snarled, "until we're sure I'm not pushing my luck like that."

    All his sharp teeth showed in a growl. 

 "If he's bluffing, and I'm also betting he is, we'll know soon enough and then he'll die. But I won't take any chances."

    It was mildly amusing to watch the monsters' frustration, but knowing he should move on and find the cause of the irritation the spy continued his search.

    Since he moved very fast and didn't have to care about things like doors, it only took him a few more minutes to find what he sought. In a small room in the eastern wing of the castle. It was empty apart from a few barrels and wooden boxes. Flea was pacing back and forth, nervously playing with something he held in his hands.

    He hadn't changed much in the eleven or so years that had passed, causing the Wizard to remember the brief talk about Mystics and aging. However, the white robes that had somewhat reminded of his evil version's clothing were exchanged for a pair of dark, sturdy pants and a brown, jacket type shirt in leather; travel clothes.

    The Wizard swept down beside him and melted into sight.

    Flea jumped and spun at the movement in the corner of his eye.

 "By Snake! Don't _do_ that!" he hissed as he realized that he knew the intruder.

 "Sorry I scared you," the Wizard said in a low voice.

    The magician fiddled with his thick glasses, eying the spirit.

 "Ah, it's you," he finally concluded, "where the heck is Janus?"

 "He's keeping an eye on Glenn."

 "Oh. That kid's alright or what?" Flea worriedly asked.

 "Yes, Glenn is fine, just a bit bruised," the Wizard said and crossed his arms with a jocular glare despite himself, "I see my student's way of speaking is being spoiled by someone, however."

 "Aint my fault I'm rubbing it off on him, it just happens when ya study and fight together like we've done."

 "Excuses…"

    They exchanged small grins before turning grim again.

 "Why are you still here?" the Wizard asked, "are you still rusty at teleporting?"

    Flea rubbed his neck, the free hand clenching around whatever it was he had been playing with. It looked like something small and reddish, but the spirit couldn't really see what it was for the fingers.

 "Never got a hang of that, no," the magician said with a sigh, "I'd need some stuff for it and the others would realize what I was doin' since that's a bit of all-round education around these joints."

 "Alright, you stay here and I'll come and get you."

 "No way."

    The thing in Flea's hands began leaping between his palms as he spoke. It seemed to be a small gem.

 "I might not be able to do it but I know how it works," the magician stated, "and you practically haven't been here for years. It's too risky."

    The Wizard would have protested but he didn't really know if the magic would count his memories as years or the few months it had been in his view. Either way, months could be too long in any case.

 "What should we do then, just leave you here? They don't trust you any more than a forest fire."

 "I know," Flea nodded, "but I'll stay here anyway. Without them being able to touch me, of course."

    The blue-hair raised his eyebrows.

 "How will you do that?"

 "Just a bit of special defense magic and I'll be okay until our temporarily green friend and Janus can toddle over here to get me out."

 "Oh, I see," the Wizard said with a light sigh, "if there's no other way I suppose that's the best option."

 "Right. So, I just want ya to take this here to the youngsters so they'll know what to do."

    Flea held up the red gem between his thumb and pointing finger, waiting for the intruder to turn as physical as he could. It was quite a strain to keep a good grip of the stone, but the Wizard managed.

 "The delivery of that is all that's kept me from wrapping myself up," the magician said with an ironic chuckle, "can't leave 'em hanging, you know."

 "Yeah, I understand."

    The Wizard raised an eyebrow.

 "Just out of curiosity, how did you keep Ozzie and Slash from killing you back there?"

 "Ah…"

    Flea laughed a bit as he opened the room's only window, on the wall facing the door.

 "You know, a human doesn't want to be turned into a giant frog and a monster would rather die than be turned to a human. Fear is a tool to use."

    The visiting blue-hair couldn't help but chuckle at the information and easily understood what Ozzie had meant with taking risks.

 "You're dangerously clever," the spirit grinned.

 "Why thank you."

    Flea made a silly bow.

 "Now you take care and make sure you find your sis, hear?" he said and straightened up.

 "I'll do my best. Good luck yourself," the Wizard nodded.

 "Bye for now, pal. Visit again sometime."

 "I will. Good bye."

    The magician smirked a bit and winked with one eye before crossing his arms over his chest.

 "Powers of the world, lend me pure power! Twandor cantela shimo, ehecal na Janus ky Glenn mati!"

    An intense light flowed from the air surrounding Flea, and just before it began to fade there was a softly tingling sound. 

    The glow faded to reveal the magician, safely enclosed in a several feet thick crystal, seemingly asleep within. The container was perfectly shaped like a polished half of a diamond, and just as smooth.  

    Smooth, apart from two hand-shaped engravings in the level of Flea's face. A couple of holes for right hands.

    Just for the sake of it the guest raised his ghostly palm to the left gap. His long fingers would have fit perfectly, but he didn't touch the magic crystal. The other hole had slightly thicker and shorter fingers; meant for a swordsman's hand.  

    The Wizard let the arm fall and briefly smiled at the peaceful face within the transparent material. Then he floated out of the window and hurried back towards the small camp on Denadoro mountains. He couldn't fly like he had done before since he had to stay as present as he could in order to keep his grip of the red gem.

    It took a while longer to reach the destination this time, but not more than a few minutes. The Wizard's main problem was to keep the stone from slipping though his palm.

    As he neared the cliffs there was a distant, cracking sound that almost made him drop his small burden and recoil in shock. The power of memories was much stronger as he was in his spirit form, and he could hardly stop himself. 

 "I said, get lost you damn critters!" the time stream's true Janus distantly shouted.

    For a moment the Wizard hung still in the air, his right eyebrow slowly perking up.

 '… No. He wouldn't.'

    He dived towards the distant light.

    A blue eaglet crashed on the ground and dissolved, its right wing broken and the mark of the weapon was staining quite a bit of its chest too. A pair of freelancers hissed and leaped backwards as the grass was torn a couple of feet in front of them; three yards from Janus.

 'Heh,' the Wizard thought and raised his hand to his forehead, floating just out of sight in the darkness.

    Janus snapped his weapon backwards and warningly grabbed it in his free hand as well.

 'Are you awake?' the Wizard called out with his mind.

 'What is it?' came the reply from a voice much older than the caller's. 

 'Heh…'

    As the two monsters still seemed hostile Janus lashed out again, giving them another warning. Frog watched, still on the bedroll but prodded up on his arm.

 'I just wanted to say sorry,' the Wizard sent.

 'Where did that come from?' the Prince asked, a frown in his thought.

 'Eh, you know my student? He's… well…'

    After a third lash the freelancers finally came to a wise decision and scurried off. With a snort Janus coiled up his mean of brute force and moved the cape aside so he could hang it on his belt.

 'He's using a whip.'

 'He's _what_?!'

 'Yeah. I'm sorry.'

 'You know what, youngster, I'm slowly beginning to completely loose fate in our cause.'

 'One might start to wonder, indeed…'

    There was a grunt.

 'Well, I wash my hands of it. If you keep an eye on him let me know how he does, but don't expect me to come and save a psychopath.'

 'I understand.'

    The Wizard managed to cut the contact before he chuckled.

    Down in the camp Janus walked over to Frog again.

 "Well, that's that," the more human looking one stated.

 "Good work," the patient acknowledged, not too spirited though.

    Janus muttered the spell of healing and carefully spread the stars over the bandaged areas as if they had been ointment. 

 "Don't worry, you'll be back to normal in the morning," he grimly assured his friend, "we'll save Flea and claim revenge on those murderers."

 "What if Flea already is dead?" Frog bitterly said, "what if he truly did betray us?"

 "It's a temporary spell, trust me," Janus reassured, "if he really had meant to switch sides he would have made it permanent."

 "Yes but…"

    Frog fell silent and sighed.

 "Even so, is he alive? Or does he just wish he was dead, in the hands of those monsters?"

 "I wish I could make sure, Glenn…"

    The Wizard managed to turn himself invisible and still maintain his grip on the gem, even if it was quite a strain. He carefully lowered himself down towards the ground.

 'Flea is alright,' he sent to Janus' mind, 'here, I've got something from him.'

 "Hmm?" the younger blue-hair said, looking up at the night sky.

 "What?" Frog wondered, blinking at the darkness.

    The gem floated down in Janus' hand and the Wizard silently backed off a little.

 "Where did that come from?" the wounded asked, frowning.

 'Thanks a lot,' the student gratefully thought.

 'You're welcome. I'll have a talk with you about your weapon of choice though.'

 'Heh…'

    At that, Janus' thoughts turned rather sheepish.

 'I have a good reason.'

 'I'm sure you do. Will love to hear it, too.'

 'Ah.'

 "Lesse now…" Janus said aloud, turning the gem between his fingers, "I think it's a message from Flea. Might work if you touch it."

    Frog reached out somewhat clumsily, unused to his suddenly short arms. The wounds didn't help either, even if they didn't hurt half as much anymore they still made him rather stiff.

    As soon as the small green hand touched the red stone, the gem melted and gracefully dripped through Janus' fingers. Upon touching the ground it turned into a miniature illusion of the strange Flea, dressed in the clothes that the Wizard had seen him in.

 "No use trying to talk to me, boys," the Mystic said with a wry smile, looking at nothing particular, "I can't hear you. This is just a recorded message for ya."

    The image reached up and preformed that Flea's characteristic nervous fiddle with his glasses. 

 "So…" he said with a sigh, "I'm sorry, Glenn. I was afraid something like this would happen and I was prepared to risk getting captured to save you. I bet Janus has told ye already that it's just a passing spell, it'll wear off soon and you'll be back to normal. Well, it was sorta my plan to do pull this kind of stunt if I had to, I'm sorry I couldn't save Cyrus too."

    He sighed and looked down for a moment, shaking his head.

 "You couldn't…" Frog muttered, momentarily forgetting that there wasn't any use in talking to the illusion. 

 "But there's nothing to do about it now," Flea started again, sadly, "we tried, Glenn, that's all we could do and you shouldn't blame yourself either. Now, as for me…"

    He smirked a little, but with lack of joy.

 "I don't want you an' Janus to go around worrying about me. I won't be the oldest Mystic in this blasted castle and I ain't getting out anytime soon. So, I'm gonna use a spell to put myself inside an unbreakable crystal."

 "What the hell?!" Janus and Frog started at the same time.

    But as Flea couldn't hear them, he just went on.

 "Ah, I know yer faces now, boys. But don't worry, you'll be able to get me out. Whenever you get into this here castle, and I know you will, you'll find me in the eastern wing and if you're together you can free me. So make sure you don't let no Mystic or Lai kill you before you manage to get me outta here, understand? Good."

    He smiled a bit again and nodded.

 "That's all. Take care now and be good kids. Bye."

    The image turned back into a softly reddish liquid and dripped backwards to its original form in Janus' hand. 

    For a moment the two friends were silent.

 "Well, that's a relief…" Frog finally muttered.

    Janus nodded.

 "But does he think we're going to break into the Mystic's castle?" the green one said with a frown.

 "Not tonight, we're not," the blue-hair said with a light smirk, "don't worry about it for now Glenn, we'll think of something. If nothing else, we might have to storm their lair with the army to end the war."

 'Or a handful of daredevils…' he thought, letting his teacher hear the somewhat ironic reflection.

    The older one silently chuckled.

 'My daredevils needed a bit of extreme encouraging to get going.'

 'Oh really?'

 'Yes, but let's leave it at that…'

 'Alright.'

 "You should get some more sleep now," Janus told Frog.

    The cursed swordsman nodded with a small sigh and laid back under another wave of healing stars, shifting a little until the pain dulled. The watching friend mumbled again, this time a spell of sleep. Frog's breath immediately turned deeper and more relaxed. 

 "There we are," the kneeling man said.

    The Wizard floated back into his body and sat up. As he did so the veil of invisibility fell away from him.

 "Well then, explain that," he said rather flatly, pointing towards Janus' hidden weapon.

    The student followed the point and brushed the cape aside with a light grunt, gazing at the coiled whip.

 "I understand you're rather shocked," he said and shrugged, letting go of the cloth so that it fell back, "but what can I say? I'd like to give Ozzie a taste of it and see how he likes it."

 "Ah well…"

    The Wizard nodded, rubbing his forehead a bit.

 "That's a logic I can follow, I suppose," he admitted.

 "I thought I was crazy too when I first thought of it," Janus nodded with a somewhat sheepish smile.

 "Ah well… and then there's Lai."

    They exchanged somewhat tired glances.

 "You too, eh?" Janus sadly said.

 "Head over heels."

 "Sorry to hear that."

 "The same to you," the Wizard sighed and shifted, thereby noticing something on the ground beside his right knee, "hmm?"

    With an absent frown he lifted the item, realizing it was the book from the library that he had dragged along in his haste. The light from the fire played over the lightly cracked, soft wood of the cover, highlighting pointy marks on it.

 "Ah, this," the Wizard murmured, "my bad."

    He stood, carefully holding the old book not to damage the yellowed pages.

 "I suppose I better get going before the librarians start missing this," he said, "good luck saving Flea and fighting Lavos."

 "I'll bug you again if something more goes wrong," Janus lightly chuckled, "but don't worry, I think I've got things pretty much under control apart from this setback."

 "Better start worrying then," the Wizard said, smirking vaguely.

 "Hey!"

    Janus chuckled and waved a bit as the Gate opened before his teacher.

 "Good luck finding Schala," he said.

 "Thanks," the Wizard sighed, "I'll need it."

    He stepped through the void, to his own time stream to get back to his quest – and for the record, claim his name again.

    The first wizard rubbed his neck with his free hand as he stepped out in the bigger corridor of shelves, looking up at the seemingly never ending rows of books.

 "I'll need it…" he muttered again, to himself.

    With a light sigh he looked down at the book in his hand and turned it so he could see the label. The small, clean handwriting said:

_                             The diary of queen Leene of Guardia (5th  century)_

_                             For the years 599-603AD_

    Janus' lips moved a little in a gentle smile. He looked up at the shelves and moved towards the ladder to put the book back in place.

 'You're not putting that back without peeking, are you?' a sudden voice called in his head.

    The wizard stopped and rolled his eyes.

 'You again?' he thought.

 'Yup!' Flea smirked, 'but just for a moment. I had a hunch you'd be too honorful.'

 'Look here, it's the queen's diary. I can't read that.'

 'Listen, wizardmuffin, tenth of March, 601, it's all I'm asking for. Just one little peek.'

 'What for?' Janus asked with a raised eyebrow.

 'Either you read it now or I stay here and bug you until you do.'

    The wizard considered that for half a second.

 'Oh, fine. I guess you have a good reason,' he muttered.

 'Trust me on this…' Flea said, smiling cheekily.

    Rolling his eyes once more Janus opened the book and quickly flipped through the pages, keeping his eyes nailed onto the date neatly marked in the corner of every page.

 'You're such a good boy,' the Mystic in his head teased.

 'Shut it. Alright, here we are.'

    Flea wisely choose to back out of Janus' head before the information on the page exploded inside of the man's mind.

 "_What the_ _hell_!?"

    He hardly managed to choke the roar down to a sharp hiss.

 'See, I told you…' the pink monster grinned as the wizard's hand tore up a Gate.

    Janus was about to throw himself through it when he suddenly stopped.

 'What?' Flea said, raising his eyebrows.

    The Gate closed and Janus quickly looked around. 

    Nobody around. Well, it was probably still too early in the morning. With a growl the wizard fixed his eyes on the end of the corridor and teleported there, turning right without hesitating and hurrying off. Flea's spirit curiously followed him.

    When the Mystic found Janus he was in a smaller room placed in a corner of the library. There was a small sofa and a couple of armchairs inside, and on a small table an electric coffeepot stood ready to be used by readers enjoying a good book. 

    Janus was rather wildly searching through a big pile of books on the bigger table in the center of the room.

 'What in Magician's name are you doing?' Flea wondered, putting his fists on his hips.

 "Here…"

    The wizard held up another old book with a lightly greenish cover.

 '"Human Machinery"?' the Mystic read and then noted the author's name, 'heh, I guess only Lucca would write something along those lines…'

 "Yes, Flea!" Janus groaned aloud and let the book go, heavily falling down in one of the chairs, "Lucca wrote it! Damn it all to hell…"

 'Lucca wrote a book, so what?'

    Silently Janus reopened Leene's diary and held up the pages to the invisible Mystic.

    Flea slowly crossed his arms.

 'Ah, I see,' he said after a moment's contemplating.

 "Bloody hell."

 'You are one dead man, wizard boy.'

    The Mystic smirked and clapped his hands, encouragingly.

 'Well don't just sit there you fool! Off you go! Go, go, go already!'

    Janus stood with a snarl and tore up another Gate.

 'Thanks,' he said, even though his thought was sincere his face drew the thought to an ominous storm cloud.

 'You're welcome, kiddo.'

    With a grim smile the wizard of Guardia summoned his staff and stepped into the darkness of time, rushing towards the past where his friends were in grave danger.

End part one.

I'm so evil, ain't I? ;)


	32. What the heck was that?

The tragic tale of the not so tragic lovestory

_Tipetiptap-tapitap-tip-clickety-taptaptippetytap…_

 "Whaddaya mean, 'End Part One'?!"

    The shout made glass jingle and grown men, women, frogs and snakes dive for cover. The ground shook with fleeing steps.

    As the dust of the stampede to get away cleared, left on the floor before the computer desk was the mangled remains of an author, with foot marks all over her flattened body.

    If one looked closer, one might have noticed that a set of foot marks – seemingly a pair of sturdy leather boots – had struck the poor thing a few times more than would have been needed when running over her.

    In fact, it seemed like whoever had been wearing those boots even had taken the time to jump up and down on the poor thing while she was down.

 "I… will… get you… yet… Mag… guhh…" came a pathetic groan from the flat tissue that had been a pair of lips.

    A shadow fell over the human pancake. 

    Ominous thunder cracked outside the small window.

    The flat author eeped as good as she could.

    A hand grabbed a flattened shoulder and lifted the paperdoll human from the floor.

 "Is that _it_?!" a murderous voice demanded.

 "Ehm…" the author tried.

 "I don't think so!"

 "You don't?"

 "No!"

    There was a pause.

    The author gulped, though how she managed with such a compressed throat would remain a mystery.

 "… 'kay. Got it. Alright. Fine. I'll fix it."

 "Good!" the murderous voice said with a less murderous tone, let the author down and then proceeded to drag a scared royal wizard out from under the sofa.

    He held onto the wall with all his might until he realized that the assaulter had calm down. Then he crawled out on his own and started dusting himself off.

    The author meanwhile breathed in until she had regained normal proportions, sighed and sat down before the computer and the Word file again.

    Admitted, she had planned to let an additional character join in with the retold story of Magus' Quest, royal wizard style, but… ah well, she could live with a diplomatic, dictatorialish democratic decision to change the emotional setting a little.

    … better than getting killed by one of your own semi-original characters… 

And that, children, is the sad and true story about how my plans for my first tragic lovestory was spoiled by the female lead. Be afraid. She's just that powerful! It can be _you_ next! 


	33. Start of Part two, This seems oddly fami...

The Janus Saga: A look on Another One, Part 2

Chapter 1, Old enemies and friends

The air smelled like dry sand, and the light was strangely gray. The only light source was a distant hole in the cave's ceiling, way up high.

    The silence, however, wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. It had a hard time claiming its place since silence is the lack of sound, and somebody was swearing quite a bit.

 "You blasted cross dressing freak!" the female voice snarled.

    Her flow of insults turned into a hissed groan, accompanied by a stumbling sound.

 "Cross body, sweetheart, not cross dresser," a voice that could be both male and female smiled, soft as silk.

 "Leave her alone, thy foul beasts!" somebody harshly croaked.

    The last speaker also hissed in pain a moment later, even though this time there was more sounds of struggle.

 "Hey, hey now, greeny boy," the second voice smirked, "careful there or they'll have to break your little arms."

 "Why can't you just stay dead you damn witch master?!"

 "It's hard to stay dead if you never was. Your boyfriend should learn to aim better. Or maybe not…"

    Flea smirked at Lai's twisted grimace.

 "Come to think of it I rather prefer this, don't you?"

 "Thou foul villain!" Frog spat, giving the two sorcerers holding him back a hard time.

 "Go to hell!" Lai snapped at the pink Mystic.

 "In due time, sweetheart," Flea smiled, waving his hand dismissively in front of the taller prisoner's nose.

    He wisely and swiftly moved his fingers out of the way before the female magician managed to bite. 

 "Stop calling me sweetheart or I'll break your damn neck!" Lai snarled.

    For the record, perhaps "damn" wasn't really the word she used. You may be the judge of that.

 "You and Janus are so alike it's sickening, lady. Ah well, it was fun seeing you two again. Ta-ta now."

    Winking with one eye in a warped imitation of a cute smile Flea snapped his fingers. 

    Somehow Lai managed to bend away as the freelancer behind her raised his sword at her neck, nearly twisting her wrists free from the fat hands of the goblin. But only nearly. She hissed as the bird-creature sent out his other hand and grabbed her hair.

    Of course, Frog wasn't one to just watch all this happen in silence.

 "Thou snakes crawling in the scum, accursed beasts! Let her be! At the least kill me first, thou rats!"

    The sorcerers brandished their yellowed, curved teeth as they laughed, as did their friends. Apart from Flea, who cutely covered his lips with his hands as he snickered.

 "Ah, always the hero. Not that it matters, it's fine by me."

    Frog growled as the freelancer turned at him, struggling despite his offer.

 "Hey, it was your idea," the giant bird screeched, sounding like a hen as he spoke.

    The monsters laughed even more at that, but the laughter ceased suddenly in surprise as a fireball slammed into the bird's back and threw him onto the ground with its sheer force. Through the rage Lai blinked, frowning upon noting that her desperate blow hadn't even left a burn mark on the simple armor of the monster. She exchanged a quick glance with Frog before turning back at the monsters before her.

    Growling the freelancer got back to his feet, not for a moment letting go of his sword. 

 "Bad girl," Flea tsked, waving warningly with his pointing finger, "even though shooting a fireball with your eyes was an interesting one."

    He looked closer and chuckled, cocking an eyebrow.

 "I think you lost your eyelashes however, for shame…"

 "Will you just shut the hell up?!" Lai roared, about to fall over as she struggled.

    Her face twisted into a grimace again as her broken ankle screamed in pain. The fall through the ground and into the cave should have rendered both her and Frog unconscious, but Flea had made sure they stayed away from at least that. As the two warriors fell into the trap, the magician momentarily stopped their fall just midway before letting go again. They hadn't been knocked out, but weren't left unscathed. Frog could stand, but Lai highly suspected he had broken at least one rib. The sound as he hit the ground was unmistakable. 

 'Damn, damn, _damn_!' the woman desperately thought, trying to fight back the crippling pain.

    She knew well that her green friend desperately wanted to help her, but he could do nothing more than save her life for a few more minutes by sacrificing his own. Any attempt to use magic would easily be blocked by his guards, and Lai couldn't heal.

 'Hell no!'

 "Don't touch him you giant rooster!" she snarled as cold metal neared Frog's neck.

    The knight's big lips twitched a little in a joyless smile, trying to silently tell her that he was grateful for her care in these their final moments.

    Lai glared at him, furious that he already seemed to have accepted that nobody was going to come running and save them. She knew it all too well herself, but still her mind refused to embrace the cold truth.

 "The two of you would make such a cute couple," Flea said with a roll of his eyes, "I think I'm going to be sick…"

 "Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you to plan this shit?" Lai spat, desperate to win Frog any second she could.

    Just like he wouldn't stand see her being murdered, she couldn't allow it either. 

    Flea waved at the freelancer to wait another moment, and the big bird straightened up a bit, lowering his sword.

 "Sounds to me like your loosing your grip of insults, sweetheart," the pink Mystic stated with a smile.

 "Don't call me sweetheart."

 "Ah, royal wizard alike royal wizard… that's also nauseatingly cute."

 "That pet name is a goddamn thing between me and Janus, you stay the hell off it, you freak!" Lai snarled. 

 "I figured as much."

    Flea smirked and shook his head.

 "It's always about Janus when it comes to you, isn't it?" he said, snickering at the young woman.

    She bared her teeth in rage.

 "'Oh damn, I'm in a jam, come and help me Lai'!" Flea mockingly said, waving his hands melodramatically, "that's our great hero in shining armor."

 "_Shut the hell up_, Flea!" Lai and Frog (very much despite himself) hissed at the same time.

 "I should have had you killed years ago, girl," the Mystic sighed, "now that would have been a show. But it doesn't matter much now I suppose."

    As Lai was completely focused on glaring heatedly at Flea, she – alike the others – did not notice Frog's eyes twitch. 

 "Perhaps he didn't manage to kill you, but you didn't get to kill him either!" the wizard's student lashed out at the Mystic.

 "Oh, I am hurt," Flea mocked a gasp.

    As the next voice spoke, time seemed to slow down for as long as the sound floated into the air.

 "You really will be soon, because I strongly plan to make a ribbon of your entrails and hang you from a tree in it."

    Flea straightened up and slowly turned around as the other monsters began to growl and Lai's grimace melted like a blackened icicle in spring. Not even the pain in his chest could stop Frog from grinning.

 "Or is this a bad time?" Janus coldly said, taking his staff in both hands.

 "No, you're just in time," Flea icily smiled and snapped his fingers.

    The freelancer drew back his sword, spinning at Lai.

 "Freeze!" Janus roared, dashing forwards. 

    With Flea's mind immediately starting to corrode the paralyzing spell it didn't work for more than three seconds, but that was all the wizard needed to reach his friends and tear them away from their guards. In the haste he couldn't be as gentle as he wished, and there was no time to chant a healing spell as he moved. Despite their doubled pain due to the rough escape, Lai and Frog weren't too spiteful.

    Janus more or less threw them aside to whirl around at the first sorcerer after only a couple of yards. His staff sent it flying backwards, and Flea neatly sidestepped the crashing monster. The remaining three servants growled hungrily but instead of attacking they seemed to wait for an order.

    The wizard frowned.

 "Powers of the world…" he whispered as he got a moment's peace just before whatever move Flea was going to do.

 "What the hell took you so long?" Lai softly grunted as the pain in her ankle numbed. 

 "Sorry," Janus muttered without turning his eyes away from the monsters.

 "I am but grateful that thee came in time, my friend," Frog said with a smile.

    The wizard nodded absentmindedly, changing the grip of his staff warily.

 "Are you done reuning yet?" Flea sarcastically asked.

    Janus dared a glance at his friends.

 "Not quite, I think we're missing some equipment," he replied.

 "Right over there, cutie."

    Flea pointed towards the distant wall to his right, slightly behind him and his cohorts.

 "Come and get them if you want them," he invited with a smirk.

    The goblin, freelancer and sorcerers looked too sure of themselves for being so few. They should know well that they weren't any match for the wizard, even together. Flea's presence shouldn't be able to bring them _that_ much confidence.

 "You two notice anything funny about those four?" Janus hissed from the corner of his lips.

 "We hath not much chance to fight, but Lai's fireball seemed to cause the bird mystifyingly little harm," Frog whispered.

    Lai nodded, even if Janus wasn't looking. He was watching the Mystics suspiciously.

 "I thought all monsters were in fear of Skeeza," he pointed out, experimentally.

 "Ah yeah, Ozzie's sweet little wife…"

    Flea rolled his eyes.

 "True, she's got sovereign power over the regular Mystics, but I don't fear her like the others."

 "You should, you know."

 "I'm keeping my distance, if you hadn't noticed."

 "Ah," Janus said with a faint smirk.

    He turned grave again just as quickly.

 "And how about your playmates then?" he wondered.

    At this, Flea gave a dangerously sweet smile.

 "I'm glad you asked, Janus my boy," he said and held up his hand as if showing something off, "if these were regular monsters they would be covering under that boring tyranny."

 "I figured as much," Janus growled and moved his feet into a defensive stance, gripping his staff tighter as the freelancer straightened up.

    And the bird continued to straighten. 

    His hand and sword grew into each other while his beak shrunk into an insectoid face and his eyes became bigger. The free hand grew a sword-alike claw of its own and giant, transparent wings sprouted from the hardening, now greenish back.

 "Of all foulness…" Frog growled while the familiar mantis took on the air.

    Janus backed closer to his two friends, protecting. 

 "I hope you have a backup plan, sweetheart," Lai hissed as one of the sorcerers began to quickly grow thinner and shadier, while the other one sprouted legs.

 "I'd teleport us out of here if I could," he muttered back, "but I have a tingling feeling in the back of my head that Flea's planned for such a thing." 

    The pink Mystic just smiled, folding his arms casually while his servants finished their transformations.

    Janus glared at the skeletal form that had been a sorcerer mere seconds ago. It still had its original face, but it was much taller now and its even earlier fierce claws had turned to daggers. Bluish skin was now a somewhat transparent gray, seemingly floating around the creature's bones as it moved.

    It reminded far too much of his first magic-proof assassin, which caused Janus to clench his teeth even more. He knew he could handle one, possibly two of the specialized beasts at once, but not four. Especially not if he had to protect Frog and Lai at the same time.

    He knew he should have seen something like this coming and moved with more care, but seeing that his friends were inches from having their heads severed he had been forced to reveal himself.

    The second sorcerer finished his altering of form, ending up as a sturdy wolf-being standing safely on his back legs. Drool already showed around the razor-sharp teeth as the almost completely yellow eyes hungrily scanned the wizard. 

    Meanwhile the goblin had lost all resemblance to its earlier looks, save the green color. The bulky body had become long and slithering, supported on three pairs of strong legs. A long, yellow tongue licked the air, sickly greenish poison dribbling from its teeth.

 "You don't have a backup plan, do you?" Lai darkly concluded from Janus' lack of decent reply.

 "Well…"

 "Masamune, cometh to my hand!" Frog shouted.

    Over by the wall enchanted steel reflected the poor light as it rose from the floor. 

 "Hey, cheater!" Flea said, but without any true anger.

    The monsters didn't even try to stop the sword as it zoomed past them and into Frog's trained grip. He stumbled as the weight flexed his muscles, with a groan touching his chest.

 "Na matala sela…" Janus snarled, numbing the pain again.

    Broken bones took more than a simple healing spell like that to heal, they needed a bit more care. And the monsters were fully aware of that.

    The teleporting was blocked, and Lai definitely wouldn't be able to run with her ankle. She was still on the ground where Janus had left her, unable to stand. Frog could maybe run, but the pain would slow him, and if the wizard tried to carry them they'd never get away.

    No teleporting…

    Janus' eyes thinned a little.

 'Hang on, I just got a backup plan,' he sent to his friends.

 'It better not involve thy poor sense of diplomacy,' Frog sharply told Janus only.

 'Not this time, I promise,' Janus lightly smirked at his green friend before turning to both again, 'I'm not sure if it'll work, in any case we'll need to break Flea's concentration for a second so that he won't be able to stop me.'

 'I can try something,' Lai grimly thought.

 'Alright. Frog, be ready to help her stand, you'll only need to take a couple of steps.'

 "Fine," he said aloud and warily changed grip of his staff again, "let's get this over with, Flea."

 "Sounds like a plan to me," the leader of the pack nodded.

    He raised his hand and gave a quick wave.

    Janus swung his staff at the ghastly creature, using his momentum to duck away from the mantis' claws. By more luck than skill he stumbled out of reach for the lizard's tail that tried to catch his ankle. Two seconds into the battle he had already had to avoid certain defeat three times, and it was obviously only a question of chances. Lai winced, shifting nervously.

    The ghost snarled and tackled the mantis aside as they bumped into each other, giving the wizard one extra moment to twist out of the way for the werewolf's claws.

    He stumbled over the lizard's slithering tail but rather gracelessly got back in balance with some help from the staff. Frog growled, his muscles tensing as he watched. But he had caught Flea's eyes and the small movement of the magician's hand, clearly stating with small means that any try to help would be thrown backwards. The warrior clearly understood, but his whole being flared with rage and will to attack. 

    Janus punched at the werewolf, in the next heartbeat swinging his staff at the whole snarling group. 

 "Oh hey, I forgot to tell you something!" Flea shouted over the growls from both teams.

 "What?" Janus snapped, trying to catch his breath while his enemies spread out before him.

    Half a second later he made a choked sound and the staff clattered against the floor. The wizard's arms ripped against his sides, pressed down by an invisible force. 

 "Janus!" Frog shouted, rushing forwards only to be flung back again by a wave of Flea's hand.

    The swordsman crashed beside Lai, luckily the Masamune landed on his other side and didn't nearly threaten to hurt her. She didn't even look at her short friend, eyes thin as they flew between Janus and the leading Mystic.

 "There's five of them," Flea purred. 

 'Anytime now, Lai!' Janus harshly sent his student.

 'One sec…' she grimly replied, her lips whispering the words.

 "And you call Frog a cheater?" the wizard snarled aloud, furiously trying to tear himself out of the unseen grip. 

 "Haven't you heard that everything is allowed in love and war?" Flea asked with an evil glistening in his eyes.

    Lai's hand moved like a lightning bolt and the Mystic's smirk died instantly as he doubled over, clutching at the small dagger in his left arm. The assassins spun at their master, their focus shattered.

 "Funny you should say that, you bastard," the woman coldly snarled with a killing glare.

 "Oh, you'll regret that dearly…" the crossbody growled, tearing the bloodied steel out of his robe and flesh. 

    Janus rammed his head backwards, slamming its back into the face of whatever it was that held him. The invisible monster screeched in pain and rage; the grip loosened enough for the wizard to break free. He spun down and around to get his staff and move out of the way, snapping his fingers somewhere in the process.

    A dark, flashing portal opened just where he had been standing before the battle started, as Flea's pain broke his concentration it was possible for Janus to work his escape plan. 

    Frog was a little wobbly after his head had hit the hard ground for a second time in a rather short while, but he was much steadier than Lai who despite numbing magic was quite pained by her ankle.  

 "Get in!" Janus shouted, dashing away from the assassins that dove for him in rage. 

    The swordsman had gotten up and was giving Lai a hand, the Masamune hanging in his other grip. They stumbled towards the darkness, as Janus reached them getting the final push needed to get into the unearthly colors.

 "We'll finish this later, Flea!" the wizard shouted just before he dived for safety.

    The Mystics' roars of rage rung in his ears and he clearly felt a hand sweep by his foot, loosing the grip due to his momentum however. 

    He fell out on the other side, the Gate already closing as he came out. 

 "Janus!"

    With a grunt he got up on his knees, looking around with small gasps for air after the intense seconds. Nothing had followed them through.

 "I think we made it," he concluded and turned to his two friends, both of them also breathing a bit harder than normally.

    Frog's breath was a bit ragged due to his chest of course.

 "But we art still here?" he said with a frown, glancing around.

    The wizard looked up. The enormous cavern surrounded the three, but it was much lighter than before. The hole in the roof was much bigger, and small plants grew in the light falling through it. Frog was getting to his feet again, sheathing the Masamune. But Lai remained on the ground, prodded up on her arms somewhat but not feeling like moving too much.

 "Let me see…"

    Janus pressed two fingers against his forehead and muttered a few words in Zealan. Then he smiled a bit.

 "I guess a hundred years keeping us apart should make even Flea and his pets stay away," he reported, "so we're…"

 "I digress right there," Lai cut him off, "how… did you find us?"

    The brief pause after "how" spoke of held back curses. She was still unable to completely shake off the rage and despair, but quickly getting there. Janus nodded.

 "When I read a history book about Guardia I found a text telling about your tragic deaths here," he explained, pursing his mouth a bit with a frown, "so of course I came back to save you."

 "I thank thee from the bottom of my heart, my friend," Frog said with a smile despite his lurking pain.

 "You're welcome."

    Janus smiled a bit. But as the wizard turned to Lai again, Frog noticed a strange glistening of uneasiness in his eyes. The swordsman choose not to ask though.

 "Where have you been?" she demanded, but there was a soft tone in her voice, "two damn years without a single word, you should know better!"

    Even when facing her chastising, Janus only smiled.

 "I'll tell you everything later, alright?" he said, "as for now, we should get out of here. I'll put you to sleep and carry you outside, can't heal your ankle just like that. Shama na se."

    Yellowish stars tingled around his fingertips.

 "Now just a darn minute…" Lai protested, but Janus moved his hand in a gentle bow before her face.

    She blinked in protest but helplessly lowered herself onto the ground, her eyes closing and the frown melting. 

    With a soft sigh Janus moved over to her side and carefully scoped Lai into his arms, wary of not moving or touching her wounded leg too much. Even if she was asleep there could be aftermath pain and he wanted to save her that.

 "Can you manage?" Janus asked Frog, standing up and touching the staff with his heel.

    The weapon flashed softly and disappeared like a puff of smoke, to whatever place it went through when being summoned as a thread of flames.

 "I believe so," the shorter warrior nodded with a smile.

 "Tell me if you need healing, at any sign of pain."

 "Worry not, I canst use my own powers in need. But I thank thee."

 "No problem."

    They began to walk towards the other end of the cave. Frog spotted a hole in the furthest wall, earlier it had been hidden by the dusk and his own situation. 

    For a short while the two walked towards their goal in silence.

 "But we must return later," the green one finally said with a grim frown, "how shalt we confront Flea and his warriors then?"

 "We'll have to figure something out…" Janus gravely nodded, "I don't think just the three of us will be able to fight all of them, even in the best condition. As for now we can pretty much relax though, we should be safe here…"

    He suddenly pinched his eyes shut and groaned.

 "What is it?" Frog worriedly asked.

 "Damn it all, Glenn…" the wizard growled and opened his eyes again, looking down at Lai's peaceful face. 

    Her head was gently rolled towards his shoulder for support, no viewable or hidden pain darkening her soft features in her slumber.

    Janus sighed and shook his head.

 "That you two were killed by Flea wasn't the only thing I found out," he bitterly said.

 "What ails thee, Janus?"

    The wizard held back another groan and looked at his concerned, waken friend.

 "Lai's going to kill me, Glenn," he bitterly said, "I've _really_ managed to mess up…"

    Frog stopped and carefully crossed his arms, tapping his foot against the sandy ground. Janus turned around at him with a faint grimace, knowing what was to come.

 "What hast thee done _now_?"

    Bingo.

    Janus told Frog. 

    Frog blinked. 

    Frog took in a deep breath, slowly.

 "She will have thy hide, thou poor fool."

    Janus nodded and winced as he turned to walk towards the exit again. The green friend followed, with a very uncharacteristic thought refusing to leave his mind.

 'Idiot…'

    He felt guilty for even thinking that about his comrade, but for the moment being not even the chivalrous swordsman could help himself. The truth that had been unveiled was simply too twisted.


	34. Ancestry or not

Chapter 2, Truth to be told

The sun sent its rays warmly streaming down into the area of ruins, and the grass was fresh and lush despite the early May. The trees already carried new leaves in the early spring.

 "Whatever happened to the soldiers accompanying us?"

    Frog shifted a little where he sat on Janus' traveling cloak, leaning against the sun warmed stone wall that once had been the fortification of the Mystics' dark lair. Now it was just a crumbled remain.

 "I met them as I searched for an entrance to the cave," Janus said while he directed one final wave of healing magic at his friend's chest, "I told them that Flea was somewhere on the island, that they should get out and leave him to me."

 "I am relieved to hear that."

    Janus grimly nodded. Then he stretched a little and tried to lighten up.

 "Well, I've been gone for two years, what's been going on?" he wondered.

 "We hath been working hard on the relationship with the Mystics, and apart from that incident today it has been all well."

    None of them bothered about that "today" was highly incorrect. In their view it was true.

 "Of course, as I did not revert to a human as thee had promised we began to worry that perhaps Flea had survived the killing blow, alas we had no way of reporting it to thee," Frog continued with a shake of his head, "Lai, the soldiers and myself traveled to the western island after a fisherman reported strange lights coming from the forest, thinking that maybe we had to find the answer for ourselves. I see now, it was surely a trap."

 "Definitely," Janus nodded with a grunt, "I don't know how he managed to survive… suppose that damn Mystic just had to have revenge in some way. Anything else?"

    Frog smiled a bit, with pride.

 "Though I protested His Majesty saw it fit to make me general."

 "What took you so long to spurt that out, Glenn?" the wizard said with a wide smile, "you're too humble. That's great!"

 "Mayhap so, but I cannot see why he regarded me as worthy of such a post."

 "You deserve it and you know it."

    Janus chuckled and rubbed the bridge of his nose to emphasis his words:

 "Very few can punch the former royal wizard straight in the face and survive."

    At that, Frog laughed and cracked his knuckles just for the sake of it.

 "And I repeat thy own words: _thou_ deserved _that_," he stated.

 "Painful as it was, indeed. How's that for a job, then?"

 "I am still Her Majesty's guardian, but it requires little trouble now. Since we art at peace I am mostly overseeing the recovering of the army, as we suffered much during the war. 'Tis not always a joyful task but I know well I am helping."

 "Glad to hear that," Janus nodded with a smile.

    He glanced over at Lai who now laid on the wizard's bedroll, still asleep. His smile wavered a little.

 "And she?" he muttered.

    Frog's lips twitched a little, but not more than that since the happiness he felt was blurred by worry and a little bit of irritation.

 "She hast been keeping her air of pride, yet I cannot speak for her soul," he honestly said.

 "It doesn't surprise me…" Janus mumbled, somewhat idly.

    The general choose not to comment on his friend's find furthermore than the brief comment he had dropped when the truth was told. He knew Janus already was pained enough. Instead Frog choose to thread a parallel path.

 "I hath a request," he said.

    Janus dragged himself out of his thoughts and turned back at the amphibian.

 "What?" he asked.

 "When she awakens, put me to sleep with the same spell," Frog said with a faint smile, "for thy privacy and…"

    He couldn't help but smirk.

 "… I dost not particularly enjoy watching bloodshed."

    With a deep sigh Janus gave his friend a look of mocked hurt.

 "You traitor…" he grunted and folded his arms.

 "'Tis nothing but instinct of self-preservation, which thou apparently sadly lacks."

 "Now that's harsh," the wizard complained.

 "The harm truth bring is nothing but what thou hast brought upon thyself," Frog smirked.

 "I think I should put you to sleep right now…"

    They glared at each other for a few seconds until they couldn't hold back the chuckles anymore.

 "Well then, and what hath thou been doing?" the general asked after a moment of collecting himself again.

 "Not that much, I traveled through history aimlessly for a little, asking around. Then I found a gigantic library in the future, in which I sought for any recordings of a blue-haired woman. That's when I found the tale of your deaths."

    Janus had no plans of telling Frog in which book he had found the story. He felt bad enough about it himself, and his friend had a much stronger sense of honor.

 "What will thee do now then?" the shorter of the two carefully asked.

    The wizard smiled and nodded slightly.

 "Duty calls me back to Guardia, so I'll be coming with you back there…"

    There was a sound from Lai; a low grunt. It sounded suspiciously like she was about to wake up.

 "… Provided I survive her," Janus muttered with a small wince and raised his hand, "shama na se."

 "Good luck, my friend," Frog mumbled somewhat ironically as the yellow stars swept past his eyes, "thou will need it." 

 "Yes, and if I don't make it you'll wake up normally in about three hours."

 "A relief…"

     The general gently slumped to Janus' cloak on the ground.

'All out of allies…' the wizard sarcastically thought and clenched his teeth against the tension he felt.

    Lai stirred and turned over with a mutter, covering her eyes with her arm against the light even if she laid in the shadow of the broken wall.

    The first thing she noticed was that her left leg felt much heavier than it should, and somewhere far back in her brain she wondered why it didn't hurt. The rest of her hadn't really caught up yet.

    She heard somebody move.

 "Welcome back, Lai."

    Her arm snapped away as her mind tumbled over itself with memories, triggered by the three words said by that one voice.

 "Janus!"

    She heaved herself up with her hands behind her back, perhaps not that graceful but she didn't give a damn as she grinned despite herself. Janus smiled back.

 "Hello again yourself."

 "You've got one heck of a feeling for timing, sweetheart, at least when it really counts," Lai said, much softer than she normally spoke.

 "Finally a compliment," he said with a light chuckle.

    He reached out and carefully touched her ankle. To Lai it felt like everything below her knee had fallen asleep.

 "Does it feel alright?" Janus asked.

 "Just bulky, but I prefer that to the alternative."

 "Good, we better give it a day or so to heal naturally before I finish the healing. Just to make sure."

    Lai sat up better, using her right leg and hands for balance. 

 "You never answered my question of where you have been," she pointed out.

 "Just going through time, it was rather confusing really. But now I'm coming back to Guardia with you to fight Flea," Janus said, smiling.

    For the first time in a very long while, Lai actually smiled genuinely.

 "Good, things have been awfully normal without you around," she said, but even if she honestly smiled there was an uneven edge in her voice as she spoke.

    Janus heard it all too well and shook his head, his smile dying.

 "I know. I'm sorry."

 "Any luck finding your sister then?" Lai asked, not willing to hang onto the subject.

    She'd never been one to show any pain if she wasn't cornered, and it wasn't such an occasion.

 "Not yet, I'm afraid," Janus said.

    Lai said nothing then, letting her eyes fall to her knees.

    So you're leaving again just as suddenly when you're done.

 'Damn you.'

    Janus coughed, uneasily. This caused Lai to quickly look up again and watch him suspiciously.

    He'd never do that if something wasn't horribly wrong.

 "What?" she sharply said.

 "Yes, there's… something I wanted to tell you..."

    Lai tried to stop her mind from getting the immediate image of a woman by Janus' side.

    She failed miserably.

 "And what would that be?" she said, forcing her voice to stay calm.

    Janus reached up and rubbed his neck nervously, only managing to double Lai's tension.

 "When I found the text telling me that you and Glenn had been killed I was about to rush through time at once," he rather awkwardly began, "but I… ah, remembered another book I had seen…"

    His sense of survival had been screaming at him to start running for quite a while, and it didn't get better as Lai's confusion began to melt into something else for every word he spoke next.

 "I went back and looked up the book about ah… mechanics written by… eh, Lucca and…"

    Janus hand went down to the ground and he leaned backwards at it to work against the movement that Lai made.

 "… Of course, if you had died without… children…"

    He leaned further back, starting to move backwards so slowly that it was hardly noticeable.

 "… And that book still existed…"

    It was hard to suppress the will to teleport far, far away, preferably to some place a few thousand years away.

 "… Then… uh… well… you can't really be her ancestor and I…"

    The prince of Zeal, hero of Guardia, warrior feared by evil throughout history, gulped.

 "… I did a horrid mistake and eh… you're gonna snap my kneecaps, aren't you?"

 "Yes, that's a great start," Lai growled, continuing to advance, "then you won't be able to run..."

 "A little late for that, isn't it?" Janus rather weakly said.

 "Hell yeah."

    She grabbed his crag in an iron grip and tore him with her backwards so that he ended up leaning very closely over her, their chests almost touching. His blink revealed that he'd rather expected a punch.

 "And _stay_ there!" Lai snarled as her hand forcefully moved to his neck instead.

 "Alrimph…"

    Then they said nothing for a while.

    Janus smiled gently against Lai's lips and broke their kiss, carefully sitting up. Since his arms somehow had moved around her during the past, sweet moments she followed and leaned her head against the soft cloth covering his chest.

    She smiled contently as he stroke her hair, removing the ribbon that had the hopeless battle of keeping her disheveled ponytail under control. The strangely brown-purple locks spread over the dark shirt she wore, dancing when his fingers moved them.

 "And I was sure you'd crush my vital organs with your bare hands," he muttered with a soft chuckle.

 "Don't get relieved yet, I'm still contemplating it."

 "Aw, damn…"

    She looked up and met his eyes with a smirk, which he returned. 

    Then her features softened quite a bit.

 "In fact, I think I'm going to make you miserable for the rest of your sad life, sweetheart," she said in a lower voice than before.

 "You're great at everything you do," Janus said with a soft smile and wrapped a thread of her hair around his pointing finger, "but you, plainly, are awful at making me miserable."

    He sighed lightly and shook his head, moving his eyes away from hers.

 "That's my job."

 "I won't hear another word about it, understand?" Lai firmly said and grabbed his chin so that he turned back to her.

 "Yes, Lai."

    Janus' smile returned and he carefully ripped the single hair free. The female magician's eyebrows merely twitched a little, as it had done when he had created her necklace.

    The wizard reached up with his free, right hand and took a hair from his own head. Then held up his fists with the threads safely held in his strong grip. All he did was nod, at least that was all that was visible. 

    The two threads flashed with a soft light and flowed inside of his fists. The fingers were pushed outwards a little by the new contents.

    Smiling softly Janus opened his left fist to reveal the new item resting in his palm. He waited for Lai to carefully pick it up and then turned his hand, spreading the fingers so that she could thread the simple, golden ring over the finger meant for it.

    Her smile was so gentle that it worked against her overall character, but it wasn't anything the two of them minded while Janus took Lai's hand and put the engagement ring made from his hair in place as well.

    There was another warm silence.

    Lai used less force this time as she dragged Janus down with her, laying her head on his shoulder. He complied, keeping his arms wrapped around her.

    The clouds peacefully floated past above the treetops, moved by the brothers of the wind that sang in the young leaves. 

 "Where's Glenn, by the way?" Lai mumbled after a comfortable silence.

 "He's over there," Janus said and raised his hand to vaguely wave in the right direction, "asked me to put him to sleep so that he wouldn't be in the way when you went berserk."

 "Weakling."

    They both softly chuckled. The wizard's hand came down to rest on Lai's cheek and she closed her eyes with another uncharacteristic smile. 

 "Speaking of nothing, whatever happened to your eyelashes?" Janus wondered.

 "Tried something against those freaks back with Flea, didn't really work," she replied with a light grunt.

 "Ah, I see. Guess I better fix that, you somehow look much less threatening without them. Only reason I didn't run when I should have…"

    She punched him in the chest.


	35. The new Zeal

Author's note:

As you've already noticed, we're in Magus' Quest, Janus style. There will be many parallels, but things will not – as you surely can guess with ease – be the same. Hehehe…

Chapter 3, Memory lane and disrupted spells

It was rather impossible to miss the fact that Janus and Lai suddenly were wearing engagement rings. Then again, Lai's clearly possessive leaning against the wizard gave the first, strong clue. Not that their knight-friend had expected less, though the lack of blood was a bit puzzling. 

 "Aye, so Cyrus' wit spoke true once more," was Frog's first observation as he sat up in a cross legged position, smiling warmly. 

 "Welcome back. And you mean his _'_that _wasn't what I meant when I said you should get a girlfriend!'_  comment back when we first met Lai?" Janus casually smirked.

    Speaking of their dead friend has been painful once, and the two men had avoided it. But the guilty pain had faltered after the release of the fabled knight's soul. He had assured them that it hadn't been their fault, and now his soul could rest in heaven. 

    But as for now, things were heading in a less than peaceful direction. 

 "Oh really, the golden hero said that?" the lady of the three asked, dangerously soft.

 "I believe thy threat to punch Janus was the wellspring of such a dishonoring remark, my friend," Frog diplomatically said.

 "Don't say it wasn't called for, he's got no social graces."

 "_Had_ none, I hope," the wizard said in a mocking hurt voice.

    In his own silent mind he grunted about having been around a certain spirit too much.

 "That's still under prosecution, sweetheart."

    Lai smirked and pushed his shoulder with her own.

 "_'What the hell are you looking at?'_" she tried to snap without starting to laugh as she quoted herself. 

    Janus caught on, accompanied by Frog's chuckling. 

 "_'Dunno. What _am_ I looking at?'_" the wizard replied.

 "_'It'll be stars dancing with fish fins soon if you don't get lost,'_" Lai growled, unable to stop herself from grinning.

 "Love at first sight…" Janus ironically snickered.

 "Yeah, sure. I think that was the only time you actually ducked, too."

 "Such is not the truth," Frog smirked, "I took a hold of his shirt and tore him out of harm's way."

 "I was perfectly able to shield myself," Janus protested through the chuckles. 

 "You could just have told me you were staring at my head because you tried to figure out if you really felt slumbering magic vibes," Lai snorted, "you were just lucky that your pals were smart enough to recognize danger."

    The wizard absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

 "I knew danger. It was just that I was too used to it having fangs and a mission. Though getting a fist covered in fish scales and entrails in my face is one thing that I'd like to keep avoiding."

    He blocked the backhand with his wrist.

 "And I'm never ever gutting another damn fish in my entire life," Lai triumphantly said and let the hand fall, "got to hand you as much."

 "Glad to be able to help, milady."

 "Goofball."

 'Oh, I'm so happy that there aren't any spirits watching me now…' Janus thought with great relief. 

    He paused in his thoughts for a moment, bracing himself for hearing Flea's snicker. 

    It didn't happen.

    Thank God. 

    After the laughter died down, Frog spoke again with a slightly grimmer tone. 

 "What is our next course of action?" he enquired.

    Janus straightened up.

 "I think that if we're going to fight Flea and his pets we'll need help. We better try to collect the team again. But first of all, you two need to recover. And I think that first of all we should let king Guardia and queen Leene know that you two are safe."

    There were determined nods to that.

    Then Lai smirked faintly.

 "Since we were walking down memory lane and speaking of the cross dresser anyway," she said and poked Janus' chest, "in all honesty you still owe me seventeen silver coins."

    Frog tried to save his ribs, fighting not to go down in hysterics at the memory. He sounded like he was one inch from death by choking as the wizard glared at the young woman.

 "Your loss," Janus sourly said in a not too honest tone.

 "No, it was your fault," Lai insisted, snickering. 

 "You were putting your money on my assassins!"

 "Well, everybody else put their bets on you, had to make a difference!"

 "You wanted me dead!"

    Frog had to lie down, though perhaps "crashing" was the proper word.

 "Ahh…" he groaned, clutching his chest, "the look on thy face!"

    Janus rubbed his forehead with two fingers, sighing deeply.

 "Enemies wherever I look…"

As night seeped in, Janus sat on guard while Frog and Lai slept. Listening to their breathing he leaned back against a crumbled wall with the shadow of a smile. Crickets lazily chirped, but their choir was growing fainter in the chilly air.

    Of course, no chill would touch these three warriors if the wizard among them had anything to say about it.

    Janus smiled again, looking towards the shadow of Lai's form on his bedroll.

    This was a good feeling…

    But as he looked up at the stars, he realized that there was something he had forgotten up until now. 

    Raising two fingers to his forehead he sent out a mental call that pierced dimensions.

 'Hey.'

    A moment passed. Then the answer came.

 'What's up?'

    Janus ignored the choice of words, at least he tried to. In the back of his mind he was groaning at how the male Flea had manipulated the youngster.

 'There's something you should know, about Lai…' the wizard told his student, smiling in his thoughts as well.

Two days later they prepared their return to Guardia. Despite all attempts to make him laugh to death Frog had survived, and with Janus' healing both he and Lai were ready to face the assassins and their puppet master again. 

    It really wasn't much to prepare considering their light packing, only healing had been required. 

    Janus secured the button of the light cloak by his throat and stretched a little. Despite the fact that it was only temporary and for the purpose of fighting again, he was looking forwards to seeing his home again. 

 'Guardia,' he corrected in his thoughts.

    It had been his home, but as it was right now he didn't have one. Not until he found Schala so that his soul could relax enough to find a secure place in the world. Or history.

    But for now, he would be the royal wizard again for as long as it was needed.

    The thought brought a wide smile to his lips as he raised his arms and begun to prepare the time travel. Lai and Frog stood beside him, waiting.

 'Better make it a day later so that we don't get a split time stream by existing in two places at the same time,' the wizard thought and focused as there was a flash of darkness in the air before him, 'eleventh of May, 60- _huh_?'

    He saw something in the corner of his eye, swiftly ducking. A stone at the size of a fist flew over the stream of blue hair, barely missing.

 "Freelancers?" Lai growled to the sound of the Masamune being brandished.

    Janus squinted against the sun, frowning as he saw the mass of giant birds approaching. Most of them casually juggled with a projectile each, and they had enough small rocks to go around in this stone filled area should they need more.

 "What seeketh they here?" Frog grimly wondered, changing the grip of his weapon, "treasures within the ruins?"

 "Or dinner, but I don't understand why they didn't come for us earlier if so," Janus scowled, calling upon his staff.

    The buzz of the Gate grew loader as it fully opened, the command completed despite the fact that the caster had been disturbed. He wasn't sure if it would lead them to the right place after the distraction, but on the other hand there were about forty birds. Not that the monsters were among the strongest, however they were not to be underestimated. Especially not in these numbers.

 "I say we withdraw," the wizard muttered so that only his companions heard, "there's no use risking our throats on a pack of hens."

 "Sounds sensible to me," Lai nodded, warily eying the advancing force.

    She was perky and foulmouthed. Not stupid. 

    Frog grunted his agreement.

 "But be careful," Janus warned as he motioned at the Gate, "I'm not sure if it'll lead us to the right place since I didn't complete the direction commands. I don't think it'll send us into a lava stream or anything though."

 "It's with words like that you set a girl's heart on fire," Lai dryly said. 

    However, she leaped into the darkness and her companions quickly followed before the warrior monsters realized that they were loosing their quarry. 

    The Gate closed, leaving only angered and disappointed screeches behind.

    And the three travelers stumbled out on a grassy hill, finding themselves showered in warm sunlight.

 "Okay, where are we?" Lai immediately demanded, looking around.  

    From their vantage point they could look out over the blooming meadow encircled by a lush pine forest. Most of the trees weren't very tall though, showing that they had only started to grow a few years ago. 

 "One moment, I'm not sure…" Janus said, pressing his right fingers against his forehead while holding the staff in the left hand. 

    After a couple of seconds he blinked.

 "We're in Zeal," he said and looked ahead in confusion.

 "Zeal?" Frog repeated in disbelief, "but 'tis not a floating island…"

    Janus shook his head, frowning.

 "True, we are on the ground," he said, "it's the year 11992 BC."

 "How can eight humble years change the winter lands so thoroughly?" the knight said in wonderment.

 "The sun stocked up on power out of boredom?" Lai absentmindedly suggested, curiously looking around as well. 

 "I guess that once the clouds cleared it went pretty quick," Janus nodded.

    He shrugged.

 "Well, this is nice to know, but we have to get going."

    Expelling the staff again he raised his hands once more.

    A shadow fell over the area.

    Lai looked up.

 "Uh…"

    Frog looked up.

 "What in the…?"

 "Hmm?" Janus murmured, turning to his companions as he heard the surprise in their voices.

    He noticed their fixed gazes.

    He looked up.

 "_What_?!"  

    The sun almost fearfully glistened on black metal and the crazily blinking lights of the giant contraption as it hovered over the world. The plan was without a doubt that the monstrous creation would appear to be the personification of lazy evil.

    And it worked.

 "'Tis the Black Omen?" Frog said in disbelief.  

 "No, it's smaller…" Janus scowled, clenching his fists in confused irritation, "what in Lavos' name…?"

    The idly blinking lights suddenly flashed all at once, as if in alarm. 

 "Can it see us?" Lai worriedly asked.

 "I don't kn…" Janus began.

    Another flash of light, a visibly bigger and red one, gave them the warning one second before a thick glowing beam burnt a crater in the hill. But by then, the three time travelers were already on the flat ground and heading towards the forest. 

 "No need to answer!" the lady of the troop growled between the curses. 

    A second beam sent burnt grass and crumbling flowers flying but once again missed its prey. There was a third one taking out a few trees, but Janus and his companions were already shrouded by the lush branches and whoever was aiming the cannon gave up after a couple more blasts. 

    The dark fortress floated onwards towards the southwest.

 "Whoever is up there has no sense of honor!" Frog growled, trying to catch his breath again after the dashing. 

    Lai shook her head with a dangerous scowl, while Janus just silently looked towards the moving shadow.

 "My belief was that magic and its technology was lost in this era," the knight added, "who wouldst be able to create such a thing?"

 "I'm guessing that whoever it is somehow salvaged pieces of the fallen Black Omen and sew them together," Janus said without taking his eyes off the fortress. 

 "Don't you know?"

    The three snapped in the direction of the new voice. It was a young woman with her long blond hair in a pony-tail, wearing a simple grayish dress with a leather belt. She couldn't be older than sixteen, eying the strange group in confusion. 

 "No, we're…"

    Janus paused for a second, wondering just how much to say.

 "… Not from around here," he finally settled for, himself hearing the idiocy in that one. 

    But it seemed the lady didn't listen, her eyes darting between Frog and the wizard.

 "I am not a monster," the general quickly assured, "although I might appear otherwise."

 "No, no…" the stranger absentmindedly said, her eyes narrowing at Janus.

 "What are you staring at?" Lai asked, warningly.

    She had spent the better part of six years in heartache for the wizard's sake, and now that he finally was hers she was bound to be itchy. 

    The girl caught the tone and took a step backwards, apologetically.

 "Fear not, I can divert her attention towards me so that you have time to run if need be," Janus assured with a vague smirk, earning a punch in his side.

 "What ails thee, young lady?" Frog gently asked to calm the girl.

    She managed to get a grip again and pointed at the wizard's head.

 "Blue hair," she rather awkwardly said, "who are you?"

    Good one. 

    Janus gave up.

 "Do you remember the fall of Zeal eight years ago?" he asked.

 "Of course," she replied in a hesitant voice, "I was an Earthbound one… you…"

 "I am prince Janus," the wizard said, as gentle as possible.

    At first, the girl's eyes bulged. Then she blinked. 

    The final reaction brought the blue-hair and his friends rather close to the stranger's state of mind, however.

 "Prince Janus, princess Schala is here!" she blurted out.   

    She nearly fell backwards, but the strong hands on her shoulders held her fairly upright. 

 "_What_?! Where?"

    The girl gulped and once again tried to pick herself together from the swirling chaos in her mind. She weakly waved at the sky.

 "The fortress… Dalton took her…"

    A blood vein nearly popped on Janus' temple.

 "_Dalton_?!"

 "Sweetheart, you're going to crush her bones if you don't let go," Lai growled, grabbing his arm, "_down, boy_!"

    Janus' brain finally caught up with the girl's wince and he quickly released her.

 "I'm sorry," he honestly said, pressing his fingertips against each other. 

    Quickly whispering a prayer for power and a spell so silently that he hardly heard it himself, he released a small stream of healing stars. The girl blinked again as the faint ache subsided. 

 "I've got a little magic left," the wizard quickly explained to avoid any questions that could slow down his answers, "now, what about Schala and Dalton?"

    He had to clench his teeth to stay calm as the girl tried to calm down enough to explain. It only took a few moments but it felt like hours. 

 "Dalton returned five years ago," she finally began in a still slightly shaking voice, "he started collecting pieces of the Black Omen and most of his old soldiers returned to him, as well as some other people who were scared of what he'd do if we revolted. Just a week ago he finished his castle and since then we've truly lived in fear of him. Princess Schala showed up a few days ago and he captured her and her friends at once… we don't know if they are alive or not."

    Her voice grew even weaker towards the end, sounding like she was trying to ask for forgiveness. 

    Janus' lips were thin as needles, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked towards the sky. 

 "We'll get them back," he promised, "I swear I'll kill that bastard…"

    A thought pierced the darkness in his mind and his expression softened a little.

 "Who was with her?" he asked the girl, gentler than a moment ago.

 "A man with red hair and a gigantic snake…" she hesitantly replied.

    The wizard almost smiled. But just almost.

 'Her husband and Molor… will be interesting.' 

 "Very well. Go back home and tell everyone that we're going to do something about that lunatic," he said aloud.

    The girl nodded, nervous hope glistening in her eyes.

 "Thank you, prince Janus."

    With those words she spun around and hurried away between the trees.

    Janus glared at the distant fortress for a moment.

    Then he noticed the silence and looked around.

 "What?"

    Lai faintly smirked.

 "Never seen you angry like that before," she acknowledged, "it suits you."

 "I dost not know if I can share that opinion, Lai," Frog said and shook his head.

    Janus just chuckled dryly until the green one grimly crossed his arms.

 "Now then, how shalt we proceed? We must confront that filthy slime, but how?"

 "I can get us there, but we'll need a plan," Janus nodded.

    Frog was about to drop a comment about that being revolutionary, but let it slide.

 "Dalton will doubtlessly focus on me," the wizard continued, "that means you two should get chances to strike."

 "I'll need new daggers for that," Lai concluded and patted her waist were her belt of throwing weapons should be, "my own are left in the future."

 "Fair enough, I'll see what I can do."

    A few loose hairs, a simple pigtail made of dry grass and a transformation spell later Lai buckled the new belt while Janus leaned against a tree, Frog casting a healing spell over him to ease the headache. Spells that changed the appearance of things should not be done too much or often, as it was a strain on the mind to transform any being or thing.

    But Janus recovered quickly with the help. As he straightened up, Lai spoke.

 "Alright," she said with a glance at the sky, "how will we get up there?"

 "I could try to use a wind spell to bring us up, but then I'd only be able to carry one of you with me at the time or it would be too heavy," Janus explained.

 "How about teleportation then?" Frog suggested.

    But the wizard shook his head. 

 "There are two rules for that one," he dryly said, "no using too old memories and no going to things that are moving."

 "That doesn't apply, the world moves all the time, albeit slowly," Lai pointed out.

    Janus paused for a moment.

 "Don't make things needlessly complicated, please…" he finally muttered, earning a smirk from her. 

 "Jokes aside, flying it is then?" Lai said.

    Janus nodded.

 "Yes, I suppose. Hmm…"

    He frowned.

 "Then again, since we were attacked he must already know that we're here."

 "Wise conclusion," Frog acknowledged, nodding, "we cannot make a surprise assault, then."

 "Precisely," Janus said, narrowing his eyes, "as I said, we don't have to make things needlessly complicated."

    He raised both his hands and pressed two sets of middle and pointing fingers against his forehead, closing his eyes.

    The mental call probably shook the entire fortress.

 '_Dalton_! _Land that damn thing, your son wants a word with you_!'

    Even the breeze seemed to falter for a moment.

 "T'was a new approach…" Frog dryly commented.

 "Well, it's not like he's not expecting us anyway, might as well irritate him," Janus said, lowering his hands.

    None of them had really awaited a reply. So it was a bit of a surprise when it came.

 '_What, you've settled for the fact, son_?' Dalton's voice called back, smirking slightly.

 '_I have spent almost fourteen years making peace with the idea, I think I can handle it,_' Janus replied in suite.

    His voice turned colder.

 '_I know that you have Schala. Either you land and I and my friends walk in the front door or we come up there and rip your walls apart._'

 '_There is no need to be that harsh, boy,_' Dalton said, dangerously amused, '_be patient for a few minutes, my castle moves slowly._'

 '_I'm not dumb enough to not think it's a trap._' Janus informed.

    Dalton mentally laughed.

 '_And I was not going to deny it either. Come on in, if you dare._'

 '_Oh, I dare,_' the wizard grimly said, watching the distant shadow slowly move towards the ground.


	36. Meet the fiancée, dad

Chapter 4, Another shorty

"We are walking straight into a trap, and we're well aware of it too. This better go to the history books," Lai grunted.

    They could see the dark walls with their flashing lights in a short distance, just behind the trees. Janus had managed to calm down well enough to walk instead of running, though it had taken his friends a while to get him to that state of mind.

    He was still _very_ irritated.

 "Hopefully," he murmured through his teeth.

    Attempting to settle a little for practical things, he held up his free hand without slowing down and created an illusion of a reddish, vaguely glowing orb in his palm.

 "And if you see anything at all with this color, we have to scatter immediately," he warned, "I'm not sure if it goes for everything but most of Dalton's traps have this hue. He can't hunt all of us at once."

 "Understood," Frog nodded.

    Lai just muttered something, glaring ahead at the darkness.

 "I hath a query," the knight said in a neutral voice while Janus hand fell, dissolving the image, "dideth the lass tell us that there was a giant snake in Schala's group?" 

 "Yes, but I don't think there's any reason to worry about that," the wizard said while his staff met the ground along with his steps, "if Schala trusts him he can't be a danger."

 "And you find nothing strange about that?" Lai dryly commented.

    She met the meaningful gaze of two dark and two red eyes.

 "Forget I asked…"

 "Not possible I'm afraid, your voice is too memorable," Janus informed.

    He absentmindedly bent away from the elbow.

 "Sometimes I think you would have been better off growing up among the Mystics," Lai snorted with a smirk, "then maybe you would have acquired those social graces we were talking about."

 "You mean Flea could have done a better job raising me than the allied forces of Guardia castle?" 

 "I am certain he would have educated thee in the fine arts of diplomacy and preservation instincts," Frog dryly commented. 

 "Oh, he taught you how to jump around like a giant lice, has to be a good teacher…"

 "Dost not tempt me to cleave thee."

 "I'm drowning in all these empty threats… ow!"  

    Janus almost fell flat on his face due to the small, gloved palm smacking the back of his head. 

 "Show thy superior respect, soldier!" the knighted general growled with faked anger as he landed again.

 "I'm a civilian now!" Janus protested while still working on his balance, "and don't talk like lieutenant South, you're making me nervous."

    Frog snorted, trying to sound shocked.

 "I dideth not sound like that old demon of a lieutenant!" he snapped. 

 "Yes you did," Janus smirked, "let me hear you say 'Into the mud, now'!" 

 "I refuseth to hear thy outrageous accusations, blasphemer!"

    They had to pause for a moment to pick Lai up from the hysterics. Then they could continue the walk. 

    But as they stepped out on the other side of the trees and looked down the sand dunes towards the fortress that rested just by the softly green ocean, all amusement was sent down into the depths of their minds. 

    Silently the three warriors slid down the hills of sand and continued their journey into the scorpion hole.  

    At least silently until the front gate opened, which released a stair going down to the ground. 

    It also released three muscular creatures reminding much of bulls, but with thicker legs and longer heads. Their color was a yellowish hue with a dull gray on the sides of their bodies.

 "Oh boy, he's got cattle," Lai grimly muttered, not even bothering to reach for her daggers, "what are those?"

    Frog unsheathed the Masamune without a word, eying the incoming warm-up with thinned bulb eyes.

 "They are monsters formerly inhabiting the lower caves of the Earthbound ones," Janus said, glancing around for something to release the staff's blades with in the sand, "and they carry the glorious and prominent  name 'beasts'."

 "The people here have little imagination, neh? I guess that gives you a good excuse for being you."

 "Oh, thanks. I think."

 '_Just what in all the powers' name is that_?' Dalton sent, sounding rather curious through the amusement.

    For the moment Janus gave up the search for something solid and raised his free hand to his forehead. Since the nearsighted beasts were still working on determine where their still distant enemies were, the wizard felt no real stress about those. 

 '_To me they look like beasts from the Earthbound caves_,' Janus dryly replied, '_do you want me to dissect them and write an essay about their anatomy for you_?'

    He could have sworn that he heard a faint intake of breath, like Schala used to do when she had wanted to laugh but was too afraid of her mother's wrath to do so. But the sound was suppressed, and Janus wasn't so sure if he had heard it or not afterwards.

 '_You know what I'm talking about_,' Dalton snorted but made an exaggerated mental pointer.

    Being pointed at like that kind of itch Lai noticed. She snarled and batted at thin air just above her head as if trying to chase away an irritating bee. 

 "Cut that out, you pansy!" 

    Frog pressed a hand against his massive lips in a theatrical attempt to stifle laughter while Janus "coughed".

 "I fear he dost not understand the word, my friend," the knight said, smirking slightly.

 '_I say_,' Janus sent via telepathy, only since the rest of the people in the fortress most certainly couldn't hear the words spoken in a normal way, '_she's got an extraordinary sense of judging character, being able to call you a pansy before you've even met_.'

    He could _feel_ Dalton's last eye grow thin in rage.

 '_Have fun while you can_,' the master of the fortress snarled in a chilly voice, '_but I swear you'll see both of your friends die_.'

 "Oooh, scary!" Lai mocked, glaring towards the dark walls.

    Janus, who had been about to reply to Dalton's threat in a similar way, found his anger cracking before the lady's snort.

 '_Cunning enough to summarize the feelings of three people within two words, and on top of that pretty indeed_,' the wizard smirked, placing a hand on Lai's shoulder, '_I thought you'd like to meet my fiancée,_ father.'

    It took a moment before the reply came, as if Dalton had to take in a deep breath. Then:

 '_Oh please._ _Don't make me sick, boy_.'

 "No matter how I try, I just can't regard that as an insult since it comes from a moron like you," Lai snickered at the fortress. 

 "It breaks my heart to disrupt thy family bonding, my comrades," Frog interrupted the flow of insults, "but it appears that the beasts have finally noticed us."

    And indeed, the bull-resembling creatures had caught sight of the distant blur and were approaching as fast as their bulky bodies and the sand allowed. It was obviously a strain for them to run in the soft ground. 

 "To roast or to fry, that is the question," Lai murmured, cracking her knuckles thoughtfully.

 "I've have always preferred the roasted alternative," Janus suggested and gave up the idea of using the staff's blades as there was nothing to release them with. There was obviously a crack in his planning after all…

    Lai tilted her head and winked at her friends, smiling in an eerily silly way.

 "Anything for my sweetheart!" she cooed.

    And she knew _exactly_ what she was doing to the audience.

    Inside of the throne room, Dalton's pride allowed him the small gesture of pinching the bridge of his nose.

 'And here I thought they came with the plan to kill me, not torture me…' he sarcastically thought.

    It wasn't the first time he'd seen Lai since he had watched his son's progress, but with Janus' treatment of her the spy had never imagined that they would end up an item. Not that it was very surprising to it's core, the plain idea of sour little prince Janus considering marriage was simply… disgusting. 

    Dalton glanced downwards. A figure in purple robes stood like a statue by the side of the throne's stair, lush blue locks flowing around her shoulders and almost touching her eyes. No hair in the world could however mask the astonishment in the green crystals as they stared ahead, through all the space that kept them from the outside of the fortress. 

    Princess Schala was watching the small group of warriors as well, and her thoughts were written all over her beautiful features. They were practically screaming out "Is that _Janus_?!" in the purest case of bewilderment that history had ever seen.

    The king of the castle leaned back and flicked his vision back to the outside, watching the two opposing sides meet with interest. The Masamune flared with magical electricity from Janus' hand as Frog cleaved a thick head in one cut, Lai carefully aiming a swarm of fireballs at the second beast who dared to charge towards the wizard. 

 'Wonder, princess. You and me both.'

    In a dark, damp room a man uneasily shifted, his whole being itching as the movements made his chains jingle cruelly. The sound echoed in the thick silence, laughing scornfully at him. And still, confused hope had been lit and refused to leave after the strange telepathic calls had rung out.

    His eyes had since long gotten used to the weak light, and he could see his fellow prisoner well. Not that this one had moved much as of late, and never had been one to talk. Sometimes his body language was violent though, but never quite readable.

    Blood eyes seemed to glow in the dusk, one half of Molor's massive body raised high above the floor. He appeared to be listening to something that Cered couldn't hear.


	37. Meet the fiancé and her temper, all of y...

Chapter 5, Same old, same old tricks

"Does your dad really call these things minions?" Lai scoffed as the flames in the insane eyes of the last beast died.

The monster fell into the sand with a strangled thump, knocked unconscious instead of killed by a well-aimed swing a la wizard.

"Shall we brand them 'warm-up', Dalton?" Frog called to the fortress' walls, with swift, professional movements cleaning the Masamune on cooling fur.

'_I prefer the term "test"_.'

'_Whatever you say_,'Janus grunted and started towards the still open gate, '_now, if you're done we're coming in_.'

'_Go ahead, the throne room is straight forwards up the stairs and through the great corridor_,' Dalton smirked, '_but if you should change your mind the dungeons are down the first stair to the right. Would save us all some time_.'

"You know, in the land where I grew up the freaks know how to pull off threats," Lai snickered at thin air while she and Frog followed Janus up the foldable stair.

'_I will admit that Flea had very… shall we say special qualities_,' Dalton allowed and pressed his thumb and pointing fingers against each other, '_I prefer the more direct alternative however_.' 

His fingers snapped, and in the entrance hall the massive black gate slammed shut behind the three intruders. The sound echoed throughout the entire fortress like a giant gong, imitating the crash of a jail door. 

Dalton glanced at Schala again, smirking at her wince born from seeing her brother with companions whip around a second before darkness engulfed them. The servants that hung around the walls exchanged terrified glances, unable to use magic since they were void of the knowledge. For all they knew, the sound could have meant the closing of a trap and thus the end of their frail hope.

But then Janus turned almost all feelings around with four simple words.

'_Oh, for heaven's sake_.'

"Powers of the world, lend me pure power…" he murmured aloud.

Those who'd be able to see him – magically or naturally – if the darkness hadn't been so thick soon got their visions cleared by a gentle light spreading from Janus fist, raised high above his head while he casually leaned on his staff.

The light grew, without becoming intense. Instead it seemed to flow from the wizard's hand to fill the entire area, sticking itself onto walls and floor to ensure illumination. 

A giant stair faced the gate, leading up to an open hallway on the second floor. An opening in the wall was on either side of the way upwards, but there was not a living soul or piece of furniture in sight. Things looked very much like the Ocean palace with the black, mirror blank walls and floor, everything carved just like in the dark stronghold of queen Zeal and Lavos.

The only difference were the red tapestries on the wall, wearing great embroideries of a big D each. 

'_I think we're all past being scared of the dark_,' Janus dryly commented, '_though I'm grateful of your attempt to save our eyes from the decoration_.' 

"Aww, I wanted to say that!" Lai snickered while Frog chuckled.

"Perhaps thy father still hast enough morals to be modest, despite all?" the knight smirked.

Janus glanced sideways at his short friend and lowered his fist to thoughtfully tap his chin. 

"Could be," the wizard said in an overly examining tone, "either that or he's trying to excuse his poor fashion sense."

'_Are you coming up here anytime soon or are you trying to bore me to death_?' Dalton cut in with a snort, '_after I ordered all of the soldiers to stay out of your way it's rather rude to keep me waiting, isn't it_?'

Shrugging, the three warriors started up the second stair.

"The lethal boredom was worth an attempt at the least," Frog sighed.

Lai thumped his back without slowing down for a second.

"Very good, Glenn," she cheerfully said, "I think we'll manage to teach you about sarcasm one of these days after all."

The teasing chuckles faltered and were replaced by grim resolution once again when the end of the stair was reached. 

A dusky corridor lead towards a golden lined gate in a distance, towards the heart of the fortress.

"Are you ready?" Janus said in a low voice without looking around.

Lai silently reached out and put her hand on his upper arm, without a word assuring him that she wasn't going to take a single step backwards.

"I highly doubt that the battle ahead in any way can touch the horrors that Lavos served us," Frog murmured and began walking again.

His allies fell into step beside the knight without looking back.

'People like to claim that they have been into worse,' Janus thought to himself, pursing his lips, 'what they always seem to forget is that just because you've survived inferior situations doesn't mean that you'll manage all the time. It just means that you've got past experience.'

It was a long corridor, which didn't help their mood the least. All the gleeful mocking they had showed Dalton was being pressed down for every step, with a force that sent out needles of tension for every bit closer the end of the road came. A battle is always easier to look upon when it's not rushing towards you. 

Finally the gate rose up before the small group. 

Without a word Janus slammed his staff into the floor to set the blades free. He didn't really need them for his next trick, but it felt better knowing he was prepared.

He took in a deep breath.

Schala was waiting, he could almost feel her presence now. 

Sadly that also involved Dalton waiting, and the wizard had no idea what kind of situation his sister was in. It would surprise him highly if his father hadn't planned on using such a weak point.

He raised his hand.

The gates split in four pieces and fell inwards with a set of deafening crashes.

Dalton leaned back on his throne while his son and company entered, glaring dangerously at the setting. The servants pressed themselves against the walls in shock.

"Don't you think that was a little overblown, boy?" the dark-blond man sighed with a roll of his good eye, casually massaging an ear with his fingertips.

"Not half as overblown as I could have done it," Janus replied.

"Ah yes, of course."

The king of the fortress held up his hand.

"I know, I know. This is when you demand to have your sister back and all. I'll save you the trouble, she's already here."

He spread his right arm to his side, motioning towards the floor.

Schala snarled as she stumbled into view, pushed by a couple of Dalton's traditionally masked soldiers. Her heavy purple robes flowed around her like water, a thought only strengthened by her flourishing blue hair. But though she looked just like she was remembered deep within a grown child's heart, there was something else within her. The snarl spoke for itself, the gentle sister who had obeyed her mother's wishes would never have growled at anything before. And her beautiful green eyes sparkled with rage as she ripped herself free. 

But there was never a doubt in the wizard's heart that it truly was his sister, despite any change. No illusion or trick could ever make it past the siblings' bond. 

Janus stopped breathing for a moment, too mesmerized by the buried emotions of longing to even notice that Lai turned tense as a bowstring upon seeing the princess. Frog did however, worriedly glimpsing at his friend. 

With a quick glance towards their master who waved his hand at them to move, the two soldiers quickly backed off.

Schala snapped her face towards the middle of the room and panic flashed in the green gems as she met Janus' momentarily paralyzed stare. For a second her gaze pecked at the throne's direction, glistening with hatred. 

"Dalton, you fiend!" she snarled, whipping back at her brother and throwing up her palms towards him and his friends in a desperately dismissive movement, "Janus, get out of here! Get out _now_! It's a trap!"

The wizard joylessly smiled, taking his staff in both hands.

"I know, Schala," he said in a soft voice.

But on the inside he was less calm than he acted. It was a little bit too suspicious that Dalton would bring such a precious upper hand as Schala's imprisonment out of the game. Something was foul, but he couldn't figure it out.

However, she clearly knew as she shook her head wildly. 

"No, you don't!" she hoarsely claimed, "Janus, _get away from here_!"

"I will, as soon as I've finished something."

The brother's voice turned hard as steel, as did his eyes as the gaze moved upwards. Almost without noticing it themselves, Frog and Lai prepared for shielding their own eyes quickly. 

Fingers moved slightly against the staff's familiar, trustworthy shape while Janus' mind raced with focus and preparing for an attack at the same time. 

"There's something you should know, son," Dalton said, a little too quickly for courage.

"What then?" Janus spoke through his teeth.

Schala shook her head at him, but as the king removed a dagger that had been resting in his belt her eyes were mercilessly drawn to the sitting man.

Janus frowned as Dalton raised the knife to his own cheek, alarm bells going off in the back of the wizard's mind. 

Sharp metal met soft skin and cut downwards.

Schala winced and pressed a hand against her cheek, trying to strangle her cry of pain and more than anything else fear for her little brother.

A red liquid slipped between her slender fingers despite her attempts to disguise the truth.

Janus froze like a statue.

"She is cursed," Dalton smirked.

"Thou filthy snake!" Frog snarled in rage, deep down almost wishing that he could feel more disbelief for the dirty trick. 

He found himself the only one of his companions able to speak, clenching his teeth. Knowing the man beside him, there was something that the swordsmaster was well aware he had to try to prevent. 

"Janus, I swear," the knight growled in a low, dangerous voice, "if thou dost allow this demon's schemes to snare thee, I shalt never forgive thee and I am certain that Lai and thy sister feels the same."

The reply was a violent shove, sending the general stumbling backwards. Lai fell over with a surprised shout, a second later seeing why just like Frog did. 

Janus threw his staff aside to be able to move freely, somersaulting over the red tentacles that lashed out at him from the floor. But as he evaded the first two for a moment, three more erupted from the smooth floor just in his path and he had to throw himself aside. Somehow he managed to land on his feet and leaped further away.

"If Flea just could have chopped you up at once back there in the future we wouldn't have to go through this now, you know," Dalton smirked, the fingers of his free hand twisting as he controlled the tentacles. 

There was no reply, and the servants threw themselves out of the way of the living trap and the prey.

"Janus!" Schala shouted.

"The wall!" Lai roared in sync with the princess.

The wizard looked up, sadly one second too late. He had come very close to the wall on Dalton's left, and his father had taken note of this. 

In the middle of a step and trying to keep his eyes on the pursuers Janus had no possibility to avoid the red, snaking thing that erupted from the red tapestry.

"Shit."

That was all he had time to utter before the force of the thick snare crashed into him, sending him flying back to the middle of the room. He landed gracelessly and stumbled to his feet, but before he could get further, and before his friends reached him, tentacles wrapped themselves around his arms and waist. With a half-strangled shout of protest he was ripped down on one knee.

"Aren't you a _little_ paranoid now?" Janus snarled, having to fight just to straighten up enough to glare heatedly at his father.

"One cannot be paranoid enough when it comes to you, which I'm certain I am not the only one to have found out."

Janus just snarled at the reply, Lai's hands crushing down on his shoulders as she dove to his side with a growl rising from the depths of her throat.

"Thou filthy rat!" Frog spat at Dalton, leaping up behind Schala's back as she threw herself to her knees before her trapped brother, "I give the monsters that roamed our fair era this one praise; unlike thee they fought with their own hands and the bravery of their dark hearts!" 

"Could be."

The king rose from his throne, his softly brown cloak dancing over his every movement.

"But the thing with the Mystics was that they failed, keep that in mind," he pointed out.

"So I hear that you did as well," Lai snarled, "quite a few times, too."

Dalton's triumph flinched with anger for a second, but then his smirk returned and he snapped his fingers with his free hand. Obeying the signal, the two soldiers that had pushed Schala earlier stepped forwards, brandishing their thin daggers. 

The sound of dangerously many feet turned a couple of heads, though Schala only had to straighten up and Janus really couldn't look around that well. He didn't have to however, just listening to the sound and seeing his sister's lips turn thin as needles was enough to give him the idea.

"I want you to run," he spoke through his teeth, fixing his eyes on the floor. 

Lai's nails rather painfully dug into his shoulders.

"Like hell," she snapped, shaking him slightly as if she wanted to wake him up from whatever made him delirious. 

Her hands left him and she stood up, narrowing her eyes at the two dozens of soldiers that were entering through the smashed entrance. It was an ocean of expressionless masks.

"There is still hope for this land as long as the two of you live," Schala grimly murmured, getting to her feet as well.

"Lady Schala," Frog resolutely said, moving his feet into a defensive stance, "to tear Lai from Janus will require her demise, if even that will bring her away from him. And I will not step back either."

Schala looked up at the roof for a moment, sighing with a bitter smile.

"I believe I have heard something similar… Janus, I'll borrow this for a moment."

"What?" her brother said, blinking as he watched his sister pick up his staff, quickly weighing it in her hands. 

"I don't think so, princess," Dalton called, threateningly turning the dagger towards his own chest.

"You demon scum!" Schala hissed, her eyes almost literally shooting lightning bolts at her nemesis as she took a step backwards.

Lai glanced at the princess from the corner of her thinning eyes.

"Powers of the world, lend me the power of Wind…" Janus snarled.

But his chant was cut in half at Schala's half-strangled yelp of pain. She was trying to fight it back, but the slice down her right arm was too painful. Still she clenched her fingers over the polished wood she held, seeking strength in the grip.

"Dalton, cut the hostage game!" she growled, with little hope however. 

He just coldly smirked.

Frog eyed the soldiers as they kept moving closer, vary of the dangers ahead but more afraid of their king. The small army would definitely be too much for him and Lai alone, since it was apparent that Dalton's blackmail was horrifyingly effective.

The knight clenched his jaw. 

Brave last stands were things for the ballads, but what they were in reality had little to nothing to do with the term bittersweet. Only the first part of the word applied. 

Lai's voice brought him out of his reflection. 

"The irony will kill me before these lapdogs do," she icily told the room in general, the fingertips of her right hand briefly touching Janus' shoulder.

She removed her touch and turned towards the throne, glaring heatedly at the amused king.

"Well, if it comes down to this and we are all going to die here," she continued while clenching and unclenching her hands, "there is still something that I need to do."

"If so, you better hurry up," Dalton informed, but there was a hint of suspiciousness in his voice and the dagger was held close to his chest for the occasion of a trick.

Schala turned away from the eerie sight of the man who could kill her with a stab at his own heart, looking at Lai with her lips pressed white due to the pain and despair.

Lai's lips twitched in a bitter smile, relaxing her tense stance. For a second her fingers hovered above Janus' shoulder again and she glanced down at his tiredly gleaming ruby eyes. Meeting his eyes right then was too painful however, and she quickly looked away before her courage wavered. Instead the sister of her fiancé gazed back at her.

'Schala…'

Yes… it could work. And she could. 

"There is… something that I always wanted to tell you, Schala," Lai said, her voice eerily calm.

Janus' eyebrows twitched and he cocked his neck, trying to catch his companion's eyes again to no avail. There was something in her voice that sent a chill down his chest. Apparently Frog noticed it too, as the dark bulb eyes swept to his right before turning back to the soldiers.

"What?" Schala said, her voice hardly audible.

Lai joylessly smiled.

"Schala…"

She moved faster than should be humanly possible.

"_Go to hell_!"

The blade of the dagger cut into Schala's robe, for half a heartbeat seeming to float in the air against the root of her right arm. Dalton screamed in pain and dropped his own dagger, blood breaking through his cloak as he clutched his bleeding shoulder. Before anyone could react Lai sent another throwing knife through the air, masterfully hitting the stumbling princess' throat. 

Schala fell backwards of the pure shock alone, but Dalton's legs crumbled as his own blood mercilessly streamed into his breathing channels.

The murderess' knees hit the carpet and she pressed her hand against her eyes, desperately trying to block out the disgusting sounds the false king made during his last moments of life.

"Twandor na chamei!" Janus roared, while the tentacles were still disintegrating he released the spell that had been forbidden by Dalton. 

The fact that the soldiers had frozen in shock upon seeing their king die was cast aside. And so were they. The spell released a tornado that swept every single masked warrior into the walls. It wouldn't kill them, but they wouldn't be a problem for at least a few minutes. Janus didn't even wait to watch the fruits of his work, as soon as he could move he dived aside.

Lai made a retching sound when two tanned hands grabbed her arms and rather forcefully tore her up against the light shirt covering the wizard's chest.

"Lai!" Frog scowled with concern, reaching over Janus' shoulder to touch their female friend's arm. 

Her face was gray as ashes, eyes pinched shut below a constricted frown. 

"Blech…" she rather weakly murmured, the attempt to at least fake toughness failing completely. 

"Never actually killed before, did you?" Janus asked in a low voice, gently pressing his hand against the back of Lai's head.

"No."

The voice was still rather shaky and she showed no signs of a quick recovery, as was quite natural. Frog recalled the first time he had killed, the young soldier and his friends slung into a battle against a group of goblins. Monsters were monsters, but they were quite humanoid too, and they were living creatures as well as everything else.

Ballads and tales call it bravery and tend to happily glorify it, but killing can never be anything but slaughter in a greater or lesser sense. The adrenaline rush supporting a scared soldier or a teenage wizard in training might relive them for a moment, but it's a filthy thing to do and no matter how brave one can be it's impossible for a human heart to prepare itself for slaughter – not without brainwash. A great piece of innocence is forever lost, and there is nothing honorable nor great about that. 

Janus knew this too, all too well. 

"Breathe, you'll feel better if you just breathe…" he murmured, carefully straightening up a bit to more or less crawl over to Schala without letting go of Lai.

Truly graceless, but he couldn't be bothered to care. 

Frog felt rather out of place as he just followed, absentmindedly sheathing the Masamune as he did so.

A hand reached out and Schala gratefully took it, though she regarded the pale Lai warily.

"Are you alright?" Janus asked, a careful smile daring to touch his lips as things were slowly settling.

"Yes… just a bit shaken."

Schala pushed the staff aside and sat up properly. Her gaze moved between the face of her brother and the one he was holding, confusion sparkling in her gem eyes.

"I'm grateful, but… she…?"

Her voice trailed off and she shook her head a little, unsure on how to voice the obvious question. Janus understood, pursing his lips slightly as he looked down at the halfway hidden face of his fiancée.

"Lai, are you still angry?" he wondered, as carefully as he could.

He could feel her grimace against his shoulder.

"Noth'n persn'l," Lai grunted and straightened up a little to force herself to look at Schala despite the sinking feeling in her stomach, "I don't hate _you_, not anymore. The idea from the past still stung a little, 's all."

Her forehead crashed on Janus' shoulder.

"I don't mind you guys reuniting now, but I need a hug and I'm getting one. What?"

She added the last rather bluntly when the wizard's fingertip gently tapped her head.

"I'm complying, but tell me one thing," he said in a neutral voice, "when you threw the dagger, were you aiming for Schala or Dalton?"

"Dalton, you dolt!" Lai grunted, both her words and tone lighting relief of both the immediate kind as well as the one about signs of recovery, "I wasn't sure if it would work but I'm not _that_ sadistic."

"I am most comforted by thy rising spirit, my dear comrade," Frog mildly said, squeezing Lai's shoulder lightly.

She muttered something inaudible that sounded vaguely reassuring. 

"You have strange friends, Janus," Schala said, a weak smile creeping onto her lips since the light trauma had begun to melt.

"Really?" the wizard said with a twitch of his mouth, "I hear you have a giant snake in your party."

Schala's smile helplessly grew wider at the comment.

"I guess you've got me there, little brother."

Then her expression softened as she raised her hand and carefully touched her brother's cheek, lightly stroking the sharp scar running down his face with her thumb. Janus gently smiled, only moving his eyes towards the touch but remaining still otherwise.

"He saved you, I see," Schala spoke in a soft voice, "you're nothing like that other, grown you."

"My teacher, yes," Janus murmured, "not without complications, but he did it." 

He chuckled slightly, nodding to his side.

"I can assure you that Glenn and Lai here can attest to the fact that I've been doing a good job trying to get unsaved, though."

"Truly," Frog mildly chuckled, "now that we hath found thee, lady Schala, I pray that thy guidance will mend thy brother's lack of preservation instincts. It has brought us great grief already."

At this he lightly whapped at the thin blue stream of hair.

"I still claim that all of it was necessary!" Janus defended himself, smirking by now however.

"Like fighting Flea alone? And fighting Slash alone? Serving yourself to the Mystics on a silver platter? Arguing with Cyrus? Even worse, arguing with lieutenant South? Diving into the ocean to beat that octopus assassin? Hunting Yakra on your own?"

Lai was apparently feeling better and better as she sat up in Janus' grip and looked him straight in the eyes as she finished her listing. Finished – for now. She could go on forever. 

"I'm going to love telling your sister all the details on what she's missed during your childhood," she almost brightly said.

"Now I'm really starting to worry," Schala said, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh, you don't know half of it."

Lai was starting to smile a little again, though how forced it was, was hard to tell. Reaching out for her shaken mind in order to help further, Janus let the mild torment continue.

"Neither do you, you weren't there all the time," he pointed out.

"But Glenn was," she shot back, "and when he wasn't, the king still was."

Janus groaned, finally managing to draw a braver smile from Lai. He dropped the pained expression and patted her back lightly.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"A bit," Lai replied, her pride still hiding somewhere in her stomach after she had been forced to swallow it.

"Will do, I wanted to get to introductions. Ow."

He grimaced at the minor punch, not any more honest about that than about the groan earlier. 

"In any case, you remember Glenn I believe, Schala."

"My lady, I never got the honor of meeting thee before, though I heard my dear comrades speak highly of thee," Frog said, bowing his head courtly.

The smile of recognition that had touched Schala's face was stricken down by grief, and she nodded quickly in an attempt to hide it.

"No need to thank me, I should thank you and your friends for your… sacrifices…" she said in a low voice, her fine hands clenching. 

Frog and Janus exchanged quick glances. 

"Aye, thou speaketh of Crono?" the knight said.

"Yes, he…"

"He was resurrected," Janus interrupted her, smiling calmingly, "we reworked time and managed to save him."

The pain flashed from Schala's face in surprise and she smiled once more.

"He was? How did you manage that?" she wondered.

"By exchanging his body for a doll bearing his exact guise, with the help of a magical item," Frog simplified the tale.

"I'm glad…"

But as Schala looked back at the knight, the recognition that had shown earlier returned and she frowned with a bit of confusion.

"But, how come you said that we never met?" she asked in puzzlement, "you were with Crono and the blond woman in the group that Janus and I freed from mother's prison, weren't you?"

Now it became Frog's turn to look confused.

"Nay, I was never imprisoned by thy mother, neither were Crono nor Marle…"

"Ah, I think I know what this is about," Janus said.

He paused for a second, trying to figure out how to explain it. It all worked in his head, but describing it would be a bit trickier.

"Schala and I… we remember what happened when I was the little prince, when there was no Janus of Guardia who could warn the heroes of time about queen Zeal and her minions. In our memory, there was no one who had lived through Lavos' rule of the kingdom up until the last few days of Zeal, and that grown Janus was my savior and teacher. As far as we recall, we had to save you three from the palace after Dalton caught you. But you remember it differently because what I remember from my childhood didn't happen when I returned to Zeal. Do you follow?"

"Hm…"

Frog massaged his massive forehead.

"Of that, I believe time will create sense. For the time being, I will only be grateful of never living that shame."

He was rewarded with a few chuckles. Then Schala's glance fell to Lai and hesitance swept over both women's features. 

A couple of seconds passed, during which the two men figured it would be wise not to intervene.

Eventually Lai figured that perhaps it was her duty to reach out since it was she who had been the hostile part. 

"I'm Lai," she said and held up her hand, for her it could pass as carefully, "Leila Martindaughter really, but just say Lai. And I'm sorry. I panicked."

The last two sentences were spoken in a rather dull voice, and it was pretty clear to everyone listening that if they spread that information they would regret it dearly.

But despite everything, Schala was prepared to be open-minded about the woman who had freed them all from Dalton. Especially with Janus' arms still encircling the lady.

"I believe I understand how you felt," Schala said, stretching the term "understatement" quite a bit.

She cautiously smiled a little wider as she added: 

"And thank you, you saved our lives."

Lai's eyes shifted briefly, obviously still uncomfortable with the subject. Janus' hand squeezed her shoulder lightly, but it was his sister that with the duty of creating the situation also saved it. And she did this by carefully turning the hand she held to make the golden band around Lai's finger visible.

"Apart from that," the princess gently said, "congratulations. Not that I could ever have imagined Janus considering getting married, but…"

She looked at Frog and Lai with a soft chuckle.

"What on earth have you done to my brother?" she demanded.

"Schala!" Janus protested, failing completely to sound honestly hurt.

"I pledge innocent on the matter," Frog claimed. 

Lai had no plans of imitating the knight, however.

"Don't listen to him," she said, freeing her hand to point at the green one with her thumb, "he knows fully well what we've done to Janus here. We've hit him over the head repeatedly since he was seven years old, and he deserved it every time."

The wizard glared at his fiancée for a moment, not too honestly though. 

"Enough of that. What have you been doing, Schala?" he not so elegantly changed the subject.

"Looking for you," she mildly said, chuckling sympathetically at him, "after the Ocean Palace I fell into a time gate and ended up in southern Garadia, a kingdom covering the mainland around 5300 BC. Cered…"

Her voice faltered and she quickly stood, not even bothering to brush off her robes.

"He and Molor are in the dungeon, we have to get them out," she said, seemingly scowling at thin air as she reprimanded herself furiously for briefly forgetting the situation of her friends.

Janus nodded and stood, carrying Lai with him as he got to his feet. She stepped back with a hardly strangled sigh. 

"Why certainly," the wizard said, reaching out his hand to call the staff, "do you know the way?"

"I think so," Schala nodded, grabbing a handful of cloth to get the hem of her dress out of the way as she began to walk with quick strides, "let's go."

The soldiers had begun to move, but were still too dizzy to do anything as the group of four hurried through the broken gate. And the servants had no plans of protesting in any way, still trying to get over their shock mixed with relief that Dalton's sudden death had caused. 

Far down in the bowels of the bowels of the fortress, Cered frowned as Molor began to hiss. It sounded strangely much like a purr. 


	38. Didn't we do this already?

Chapter 6, Cered and Molor. And not to mention those pesky golems…

 "I take it 'Molor' is that snake?" Lai commented while the four quickly walked down the great corridor. 

 "Yes, but he's not dangerous, I assure you," Schala said with a glance over her shoulder.

    She paused for a moment.

 "Well, not to friends at least."

 "And you called me and Glenn strange…"

 "Without lying one bit, if I may speak my opinion," Janus commented and ducked. 

    Schala glanced at him with a twitching smile and a raised eyebrow.

 "Are you sure that you are Janus?" she questioned. 

 "Pretty sure, yes," he replied, lightly tugging at a few blue strands of hair.

 "When me and Cered were looking for you we searched many historical archives for records of a blue-haired boy," the princess said with a soft smile, "I can't say that it was very difficult once we moved a few hundred years past the first century. You left quite an imprint, little brother."

    Janus would have smiled if it hadn't been for the obvious question.

 "But if you knew where I was, then why didn't you come?" he wondered, without malice as he already had a strong clue.

 "We tried," Schala said, pursing her mouth, "believe me, we tried. But it seemed like the late sixth and early seventh century were closed off, I couldn't open a time gate going there. I have a pocking feeling that it was Dalton's doing."

 "Sounds quite sensible," Janus muttered, nodding.

    They walked in silence for a short while until the wizard's mind caught up with something and he stopped planting the staff in the ground as he walked, holding it up with a quizzical look.

 "By the way…"

    At this time they had reached the end of the corridor, and Schala grunted slightly as she had to assemble even more cloth in her hands to make it down the stair. She looked around at her brother's half question, smiling a bit. 

 "It's funny that you'd chose that weapon as well," she softly said, "there were times when magic didn't suffice, therefore Cered talked me into using a weapon."

 "I believeth I hath heard a whisper about something similar to thy fate," Frog commented, glancing up at Janus. 

 "Aye," the wizard nodded, reaching out an arm to squeeze Schala's shoulders while they reached the end of the stair, "that finalizes the fact that shared blood _does_ create bonds. As long as one part don't try to kill off its offspring."

    He added the last thing, throwing up his hands rather dramatically to emphasize how much he cared about Dalton's fall. 

    Schala looked at him.

 "Are you _sure_ that you are Janus?"

    Lai loudly snickered, not even bothering to hide her smirk with her hand. 

 "Ah, Janus the motto-creator," she said, causing Frog to chuckle as well.

    Schala glanced around with a carefully amused smile while Janus pressed his hand against his eyes with a groan. 

 "How so?" the blue-haired woman asked.

 "In fair Guardia thy brother hast brought a saying upon himself," the knight rather cruelly grinned, "one known by the entire kingdom and widely used."

 "Really? What then?"

    Upon Schala's query Lai and Frog exchanged glances, then spoke simultaneously:

 "'What has he done _now_!?'"

 "Oh my."

    Schala put her hand on her brother's shoulder.

 "We will have to have a little talk, Janus," she said, trying to sound grim.

 "I don't wanna!" he theatrically whined, despite the snicker silently cursing blond princesses and alternate reality monsters. 

    But Lai's cruel chuckle made any twists of character worth it. She needed all help her friends could possibly offer to get her mood truthfully up again. 

    The talking had made them slow down in their walk down the stair, but by now the four finally reached the floor and turned left to face a door hidden behind the dark steps leading up. The black metal made it look very resolute indeed, especially with the golden crest that reminded a little too much of the Mammon Machine. No keyhole nor a handle was to be seen.

 "One would almost think that even Dalton would refrain from things like this after all that happened," Schala muttered, touching the smooth surface, "it's not a real magic door however… let's see…"

    She raised her hand but froze with a wince, glaring at the purple, blood stained sleeve. There was one thing that she had managed to forget completely with all the confusion and excitement. 

    Frog put his hand on Janus' arm in a friendly gesture, closing his eyes to chant in a low voice. 

 "Thank you," Schala gratefully said as the stinging pain melted away under the soft light of the healing stars. 

 "Nothing to speak of," the knight kindly replied.

    The princess' fingertips touched the crest's left arm and pushed it downwards, then lifted the right one. 

    With a light swooshing sound the door opened to reveal a duskier corridor than before; Janus' illumination spell hadn't reached inside here. That was easily mended however.

 "Does he have any guards down here?" Lai asked while Janus lowered his hand, streaks of pure power rushing down the smooth walls to make things visible. 

 "It would surprise me if there was nothing at all," Schala grimly said, "though I doubt it'll be humans. Dalton seldom trusted people to guard important places, unless he was feeling cockier than usual."

 "'Tis possible to be more arrogant?" Frog dryly asked, keeping his hand on the Masamune's hilt just to be sure.

    Janus shrugged.

 "I'm not sure," he thoughtfully said, "I've never seen anything like him. Not even Flea; he's more irritating than arrogant."

 "Aye."

    Schala glanced at her brother again.

 "Flea, that was something else that I wanted to ask you about too," she said, frowning, "didn't the other grown you mention that his mentor's name was Flea?"

    Pursing his mouth Janus nodded, without taking his eyes off the turn of the corridor ahead of them.

 "But in the history books you two didn't seem to have a very friendly relationship," his sister pointed out.

    The wizard clenched his teeth, still not looking around. He knew that there were things that his teacher had wanted to keep secret, but there seemed to be no way around it except lying. And he highly doubted he could keep a straight face when telling an untruth to Schala.

 "The other me and his Flea weren't that good friends either," he murmured.

 "It's not that Flea doesn't want to make friends with humans," Lai grunted before Janus could stop her, "it's just that he hates our guts except for when they're deep fried and served with rice."

    Schala's eyes narrowed, slowly.

 "Janus, was he…"

 "He revenged himself with help from Crono and the others, that's why he came to save me," the wizard quickly cut her off.

 "What did they put him through?" she pressed, frowning deeply.

    But Janus was saved from having to answer that, as they entered a much bigger room at that very moment. And a small, bluish shadow dove for the wizard's hair since he had taken the lead. 

    Ducking, he punched at it since he didn't dare swing his staff with his companions just behind him. The blue scout swished away from the fist and fled back to the roof, from where half a dozen big eyes blinked down towards the intruders. 

 "Are you saying Dalton thought _those_ things were better than humans?" Lai asked, disbelief tainting her sarcasm.

 "Scouts are mainly used as spies, but they can be difficult to kill unless you know the right spells since they have been given incredible immunity," Schala briefly informed.

    Lai glared as three pairs of eyes turned at her almost simultaneously. 

 "What?"

    Her mind did a replay and caught on to the thirteenth word the princess had spoken. The young lady from Guardia frowned. 

 "Will I have to skin you alive to get respect back?" she coldly questioned and folded her arms, "seriously, one mental breakdown and… what are you doing?"

    She raised an eyebrow as two red shapes fell to the floor, encircled with flames. Janus looked a little too innocent.

 "Oh for heaven's sake!" Lai snorted, "you don't have to treat me like a baby!"

    While she spoke, Frog had caught on and quickly drowned the fire of life in the soulless, blue little monster. Schala was no slower to neatly zap the remaining three yellow critters. Not that Lai would have been able to do anything against the last two sorts, but it maybe made the tallest one look a little less guilty if nothing else. 

 "We humbly apologize for the suspicion darkening your mind and pray to higher forces that you will realize that our actions are nothing but signs of affection," Janus said with a chuckle.

    Lai rolled her eyes, but when she thought that nobody but the wizard saw it she briefly smiled back at him. 

    They continued across the empty, circular room and reached another corridor. Janus walked quickly, hoping that Schala's mind would stay off stories he wouldn't like telling. This wish made him feel almost relieved when he entered the next room and narrowly missed getting smashed by a gigantic, stony fist. 

 "Now _these_ are guards!" he growled and somewhat clumsily dove further into the room while sending lightning bolts at the golem to divert its attention from those who made a tactical withdrawal into the corridor, where they couldn't be reached.

    The beast roared, and it wasn't alone. Janus' eyes narrowed as he looked around to find two more giants lumbering at him from behind, their fists swinging madly as they moved. The first golem was clumsily turning, its tiny bead eyes burning with annoyance at the pesky midget.

    Janus took a careful step back and almost fell over as his left foot didn't touch solid ground but what felt like a slippery cross above a void. For half a second he slipped, then his brain automatically clicked to activate the floating technique that he had learnt from spirit Flea. His balance was restored by the fact that it wasn't needed when he drifted upwards a few inches, breathing a sigh of relief. 

    Above his own breath he heard another sound, one that cut through the deafening crashes of moving golems. A hissing. 

    He threw a glance downwards, into the darkness below the bars that had caused him a moment of panic. A red ruby glistened back up at him, resting in a grayish, slowly swaying shape that was obscured by the weak light.

    It felt as if something rooted within the wizard's mind and grew to gently fill any empty spaces in his soul, covering even the faintest feeling of loneliness with a soft mist. 

    The wizard of Guardia felt completion.

    And he could finally feel the other being.

 'Molor.'

 'Friend.'

 'Friend, yes.'

    All this took merely a moment, during which the world faded.

    But then it made itself known again.

 'Look out!' Molor silently screamed.

    Waking up from the brief trance with his mind clear as glass Janus dashed out of reach for the giant fist that shook the floor.

 "What is happening up there?!" a man's voice came from the darkness, the words swimming in confusion and worry.

 "We're coming for you, Cered!" Schala shouted, but her voice was nearly drowned in the flaring roar of Lai's fireballs.

    The first golem fell forwards with a roar that spoke more of irritation than pain as the red orbs exploded upon touching its back, ripples of sand and small stones falling out of the holes in the massive body.

 "Don't just stand there watching the scenery!" Lai snarled, drawing back to prepare another blast since her daggers would be rather useless against moving rocks.

    Janus had no time to reply since Frog flew from the entrance in an impressive arc, turning the sacred blade to turn downward when his leap began to falter. The fallen golem angrily snarled as the Masamune plunged into its back, unlike a normal sword quite able to cut rock.

 "Call upon lightning, Janus!" the green knight shouted, letting go of the hilt and quickly leaping backwards.

 "I'm not Crono, but I'll let it slide!" the wizard called with a faint grin, "powers of the world…"

    He didn't stand still for a second even as he chanted, running along the wall towards the corridor to get out of reach for the two other beasts. 

    Lightning bolts flared from his chest and obediently found their way to the convenient piece of metal. The unlucky golem screamed in real pain this time as the magical power surged though it and tore up any and all cracks available. The giant monster began falling to pieces, arms crashing into the floor as they disjointed.

    But while Janus worked the spell itself, he had to stand still. His enemies might have had brains made of flint, but they weren't stupid enough to pass up on such a chance. The one furthest from Janus raised its massive fists, but not for a hit as he was still way out of reach. The other one swung closer towards the wizard, who couldn't take his eyes off the spell in order to control it. Though the fallen golem was crumbling it could still get up and put itself back together if released too soon. Only a couple of seconds… he would have wanted to use one single, deadly bolt, but the pressure would make it dangerous for the two prisoners below the floor. They couldn't risk that the ceiling of the dungeon fell inwards. 

    Seeing this, Frog moved backwards in the other end of the room, chanting hesitantly as he realized that something must be done, but without the Masamune he couldn't attack physically and Water didn't sound like the best weapon against stone. 

    "Voice" was not really a suitable label of the rumble that crawled out between the feet-long jaws, but it was still just barely distinct enough to recognize.

 "Hey!" Lai growled in disbelief as she heard her own incantations being mimicked, raising her hands in an attempt to stop the attack.

 "Laohn sha nebal!" 

    A glowing half moon cut through the air and buried itself between the bead eyes of the moving golem. It stumbled backwards in surprise. Frog immediately released his spell and a flood erupted a few feet in front of the front giant, sweeping it further backwards. Its flailing arm hit its chanting companion and broke the magic in the making momentarily.

 "They can copy our magic powers!" Schala called at Lai, shouting to be heard above the violent fizzling of the remaining lightning.

    She hadn't been able to hear her future sister in law's snarl, but it wasn't hard to read such an expression.

    While the blue-haired woman still spoke, the magician-golem pushed his friend away and into the fading magic water in an attempt to finish the chanting. But before it even had time to properly raise its fists, the lightning bolts faded and Janus turned to the remaining two beasts. He didn't attack, instead casually backed with his staff held tightly as he tried to catch his breath. Something far back in his mind was muttering about that something was wrong, but it wasn't loud enough to prove itself important. 

 "Cometh, Masamune!" Frog called, holding out his hand. 

    The blade obediently rose above the rubble that was the remains of the first unlucky monster and flew to its owner. Used to the heat that the attack named Spire placed upon his weapon, the knight had already enclosed his gloves with gentle, magical water to be able to grip the hilt. 

    This didn't, of course, stop the golem's spell. Roaring it released gigantic, flaming balls that tore their way through the air and melted the metallic floor where Janus had been standing a heartbeat earlier. The wall was no better off, but though several holes were created, none of them was more than a couple of inches deep and thus didn't break through the building. 

    The fallen golem was getting to its feet.

 "Any suggestions on how to finish this quickly?" Janus shouted, scowling. 

    It wasn't that he was loosing strength – though he was starting to feel a headache prickling the inside of his skull after all the magic he'd been using while straining his body for a long time. And apart from that he was starting to think that this took far longer than should be allowed. Being in his father's castle had never been anything he had planned to do, and it was getting on his nerves. 

 "A collective assault would bring the desired conclusion, I believe," Frog called, sounding somewhat amused at his friend's lack of patience.

 "Sounds like a good idea…"

    The wizard looked around at the women in the group, who nodded and smirked in reply. You may guess who did what, shouldn't be too hard in my humble opinion. 

    Schala held up her hands and two glowing half moons appeared in the grip while Lai crossed her wrists, bending her fingers slightly.

    Frog and Janus exchanged glances.

 'Something like Marle and Lucca's dear Antipode as they called it?' the wizard sent over.

 'I live to serve,' the general replied, almost chuckling.

 'So do I.'

 "After you, ladies," Janus called.

 "See? Our attempts to make him civilized _did_ pay off even if it's rare that he rewards us!" Lai snickered to Schala.

    The princess couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

 "For that, I am grateful. I think," she murmured. 

    She squinted her eyes at the snarling golems who had used the precious seconds – that the humans had used for planning – to lumber forwards. The one who had used magic, farthest to the left, almost stood on the bar in the floor.

 'Move, Water magic,' Janus warned Molor.

 'See.'

    The feeling, _knowledge_ of how the other being moved was mesmerizing in its wondrous mystery. But Janus couldn't let himself get distracted by the fascination. The snake was rearranging his long body, laying himself like a wall before Cered to protect his chained fellow prisoner from the planned magic.

    But they couldn't wait for him to settle completely, the golems were getting too close for comfort. Schala narrowed her eyes further as she aimed and flung the two half discs at the beasts, seeing that standing idle any longer could be dangerous. 

    She hit them both, the magic user successfully between the eyes, the second was luckier as the blade cut into its pointy head causing little less irritation. It distracted them long enough for Lai to set her spell free, sending two highly concentrated fireballs from each hand. 

    The golems roared as they were hit, even their hardened bodies glowing faintly as the waves of pure heat evaporated around them. 

    Perfect. Janus wasted no time calling for new powers while his friends worked their attacks. 

 "Crancha na lishoro!" Frog called, once again releasing the magical flood. 

    The water rushed over the golem's lower bodies, a cracking sound being heard as chill met heat. According to the sound they made, they both heard and felt it.

 "Ta keich sanea wyh!" Janus ordered, his staff meeting the floor. 

    Gigantic blocks off ice materialized above the twitching monsters, smashing down on top of them. The weight and cold slammed into the red hot stone bodies, and they cracked. Rock and smaller stones thundered against the floor for several seconds before the demise of Dalton's pets was fulfilled.

    Some water had of course rushed down into the prison through the – for liquid – poorly barricaded entrance. Janus' triumphant relief at the victory was broken by a wince at Molor's protesting snarl of pain even as the magic disintegrated.

 "Cold!"

    Schala was already hurrying towards the hole in the floor, falling to her knees and unceremoniously pushing rocks aside with no respect for her clothes. As nothing else seemed sensible, the three warriors from Guardia joined her.

 "Are you alright?" the princess called down while her friends were still moving closer.

 "Aye!" the man's voice called up, much more relieved than last time he had spoken, "I fear our comrade is less than amused however!"

    There was an irritated hiss.

 "Such was not my intention," Frog called, his voice holding a slight tension as he peeked into the darkness.

 "Fine."

    The voice was dry, like the rattling of dead leaves. But below the slight aggravation it almost sounded soft. 

    Janus raised an eyebrow.

 "Is that snake… talking?" Lai slowly said, squinting at the dusk.

 "Molor seldom says anything," Schala mildly said and shook her head, "this is the most talkative I have ever known him to be. He's quite special."

    The grayish form grew out of the dusk again, but couldn't be viewed perfectly. The glistening, crimson eye that was turned upwards seemed to shine with its own light, however.

 "Hurts my throat," Molor somewhat impatiently said.

    That voice in Janus' head saying that something was wrong woke up again, and now he had enough time on his hands to realize what it meant too.

 'It doesn't surprise me, in all honesty…' he thought to himself.

    Then he lashed out his mind, calling through times and dimensions.

 'There's something I think you should see.'

    For half a heartbeat, there was no reply. Then a familiar sensation entered his mind.

 'Yes?' the Pawn said, smiling faintly.

    He looked around.

 'Oh, I see. Congratulations, I just returned with Schala and the others to Cered's time,' he said in a rare, soft voice as he took in the view, 'what is Lai doing here, though?'

 'Ah, I found she's… not Lucca's ancestor,' Janus replied, rather sheepishly.

    The Pawn covered his lips with a hand, trying to conceal his smirk. While he did this, the Prince floated into existence with a deep sigh.

 'I'm not hearing this,' he growled and rolled his eyes, 'I don't want the details.'

    Janus had to fight a snicker.

 'Oh wait you two, you haven't seen what I wanted to show you yet.'

 "One moment, I'll open it," he said aloud, putting his staff aside.

    He took a hold of the bars with his right hand, spreading the fingers of his left above the closed entrance. 

 "Powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!"

    Tiny bolts hit the joints of the metal and would have given the wizard himself a few nasty shocks had he not controlled the magic so well, not allowing it to come back to him through his grip of the metal. With ease he stood, taking the grid with him.

 "Stand back," Molor's raspy voice almost purred.

    Finding it unwise to question him, the humans obediently took a few steps backwards.

 'He's talking already?' the Prince said, raising his eyebrows in rare surprise.

 'Doesn't he always?' Janus said, thinking back on the time when he had met the Prince's companion in the other time stream.

    The two older ones shook their heads.

 'Hasn't said a word aloud,' the Pawn said, glancing at the older one.

 'Took him five years to open his mouth, figures he'll be the same by you,' the one with more experience acknowledged to the one who wore the same clothes.

    He glared towards Janus with the shadow of a tired smirk.

 'But knowing you, things can't be the same.'

 'Wait a second…' the wizard grinned, looking intently at the hole.

    With a forceful hissing Molor shot up from the prison, using all his strength to bring his long, heavy body upwards and on to safe ground.

    Even the Prince's eyes widened slightly, but for a completely different reason than Frog and Lai's.

    Eyes glowing red as blood took in the entire room as the gigantic, slithering form settled on the floor. The mystic illumination glistened over the pearl scales, creating sparkling stars on the snake's body.

    He was pure white. 


	39. Patching things up

Well, this chapter was boring to write, but somehow I managed to write it all in one sweep just because of that. I'm not really satisfied with it – mainly due to the several jumps into the future – but doing it like that saves both you and me a lot of boring reading about things that aren't necessary for the story, not after Magus' Quest. Yes, I guess it's unprofessional of me to expect that everybody already read that one, but there is enough dialogue in this chapter as it is.

    I'm also unwilling to keep Janus in a state of peace for too long, as I realize that he can become rather goofy if allowed to mellow. Thus, there will be more action soon, promise. We're also getting to the more interesting parts as soon as you've chewed your way through this one. Hope that it's more interesting to read than it was to write!

Chapter 7, No rest for the wizard

'I wish I could say I'm more surprised,' the Prince finally said.

 'I must say that it feels almost like a relief,' Janus retorted with a silent chuckle.

    He reached out and touched the big, almost silvery head. Molor made another strange purring sound, rubbing his forehead against the hand.

 "After this," Lai slowly said, glancing sideways at Schala, "don't you _dare_ claiming that I and Glenn are strange."

 "But you do have your moments as well," the princess replied with a chuckle.

 "Yeah, but we decide when we should be."

    Lai somewhat hesitantly stepped forwards, closer to her fiancé and Molor.

 "How do you greet a snake, anyway?" she muttered but then carefully reached out to touch the massive neck with a finger.

 "'Hello' works," Molor commented, sounding rather amused.

 "It really does help that you talk, you know," the young woman conversationally said, "I still fear that our queen will have a heart attack when Janus comes home with you, though he has brought a few weird things before."

 "I never brought any of those damn assassins, they came to me," Janus protested, letting his hand fall.

    Schala just shook her head and turned to the hole.

 "Don't worry Cered, we haven't forgotten about you," she assured as she kneeled, "just wait a moment."

 "Allow me," Frog offered, walking closer to the hole with one last disbelieving glance at Molor.

    Schala followed his gaze and smiled slightly, but didn't comment. It wasn't the first time the snake made people nervous, and she understood the knight's feelings. Even the bravest tended to be shocked at the first sight.

    The princess offered her hand to help Frog into the darkness, and though he was heavier than he looked she managed to hold him until he let go and dropped out of sight. Muttering a spell she opened her hand completely, a glowing orb popping out of her palm to spread its light over the cell.

    She could hardly hold back an affectionate chuckle as she saw Cered blink at the visitor in confusion. He looked so cute when he was surprised.

 'Lovely, here we go again…' a spirit dryly muttered, unheard by all but his mirrors.

 "Though my guise speaks differently, I am human," Frog quickly said, somewhat tiredly, "I am merely the victim of a magician's twisted sense of humor."

    He frowned slightly, regarding the chained, dirty man by the short wall. The knight couldn't put his finger on it, but the red-haired Cered looked strangely familiar to him. 

    The prisoner blinked again, then carefully smiled.

 "I hath not heard any man nor woman speak my native tongue anywhere throughout history before," he said, "I must say to thee, 'tis quite uplifting though a simple blessing."

    It was Frog's turn to blink. Then he smiled as well.

 "'Tis surprising indeed, however I cannot claim it to be nothing but pleasantly so."

    He unsheathed the Masamune.

 "One moment, I will free thee."

    Cered moved aside and helpfully held up his arms to stretch the chains, making it easier to cut them. As Frog looked up he noticed that the prisoner's gaze went upwards towards the princess who was watching the process. Pretending he hadn't seen by focusing on the chains binding Cered's ankles, the knight smiled to himself.

 'Thou art not the only one with surprises for thy sibling, Janus…'

    The thought was, in its own right, quite refreshing. Suited the wizard right for shocking his friends over and over again.

    Cered stood, leaning on the wall as he did so. Seeing the tired and stiff body shake slightly as the owner tried to move, Frog quickly chanted a healing spell for Schala's companion.

 "I thank thee, Sir…?" Cered gratefully smiled, with a hint of hesitation for the last word.

 "Glenn, and I request no title," the knight kindly said, but added in a slightly dryer voice, "I bear the second name Frog due to the curse I suffer from."

 "Then I shant let it touch my tongue," the more human of the two assured, "my name is Cered, though I believe Schala already told thee so."

 "Aye, so she did," Frog said, looking up at the smiling lady past her illumination, "may we request aid to escape this accursed place, my friend?"

    Schala chuckled at his deliberately overdone speech and straightened up a bit, looking to her right.

 "Janus, will you lend a hand?"

 "Of course."

    The wizard became visible as he sat down on his knees by the other side of the hole. Afterwards Frog was sure that he had imagined it, but for a second he thought that he saw a sparkle of recognition in his blue-haired friend's eyes as Janus looked at Cered. But then it was gone, and the man from Guardia lowered his right hand into the dungeon.

 "Thank you for helping my sister on her journey," Janus conversationally smiled as Cered somewhat still unsteadily walked forwards, allowing Frog to lend him support.

 "'Tis a welcome irony to be aided by the one we have sought for so long, I must say," the former prisoner said and reached up to grab a hold of the offered hand.

    At that, Janus just chuckled slightly as if he found something amusing about what Cered had said. With little trouble he straightened up, hoisting the one he knew would be his brother in law out of the prison. To help Frog was hardly worth mentioning; the knight could leap high enough to bring himself out but grabbed the offered hands as he reached the surface and let himself be pulled to safety though he didn't really need it.

 "They didn't treat you too well, I see," Schala grimly said, carefully lifting a heavy lock of Cered's fringe from his dirty face while Janus straightened up.

 'I think I can live without seeing this again,' the Prince said, but his voice was far from as rough as he probably had meant it, 'if you excuse me, I have own matters to deal with.'

 'Do they possibly pertain an empress whom you once mentioned?' Janus smirked.

 'Don't push me.'

 'You should know better,' the Pawn snickered, 'the kid has a dangerously good memory.'

 'Kid?' Janus protested.

 'Truly,' the Prince grunted.

    Shaking his head, the oldest of the three faded away.

 'I believe I'm superfluous here as well, though I must say that it was quite amusing seeing your version of Molor,' the Pawn smiled.

 'Aye.'

    Janus silently chuckled and backed off to let Lai greet Cered. On the way over the floor she gave Frog a friendly shove and order to "tell the big worm hi already". Molor hissed more of surprise than protest.

 'Call me if you need help, but not against her,' the Pawn mildly snickered, 'she scares me.'

 'With the full right, I'd say,' Janus smirked.

    Chuckling, the Pawn's spirit left as well.

    Frog was regarding the snake somewhat still warily, and Molor appeared to be making an effort not to appear threatening by calmly lying down on the ground. 

 "To call Molor a worm, 'twas something I did not believe anybody to do," Cered was telling Lai, throwing a glance at the animal in question.

 "In order to avoid hostilities I will blame the power of habit," she somewhat gently replied.

    Molor waved with the tip of his tail in a dismissive movement, though it was hard to see since his other end almost was on the other side of the room.

 "Humans taste bad, don't worry," he hissed.

 "You wouldn't dare," Schala said, calmly.

 "No?"  

 "To anyone else I'd say that I'd love to see you try, but there are limits to how taunting I can be," Lai announced, crossing her arms.

    At that, Molor laughed. It was a very strange, hoarse sound, but not wicked.

 "Now that was something I believed I'd never hear from you," Janus commented to his fiancée and bent aside.

 "Why art thou seeking thy own demise by the hands of thy love, my comrade?" Frog chuckled, rolling his eyes.

 "Just to make Flea angry, of course," the wizard explained, ducking for another sweep.

    Lai shook her head, smirking to herself as she turned to Cered and Schala again as she heard the princess speak.

 "Are you sure that he's Janus?"

 "I don't know, I didn't know him first," Lai chuckled, "ask the knight there, he's been trying to keep the darn wizard alive for years."

 "Crying tears of blood, I assure thee," Frog dryly nodded.

    Cered caught Schala's eyes.

 "Thy brother has strange friends," he said. 

    Then his eyebrows went up when his traveling companion covered her mouth with her hand, trying to conceal the laughter that fought to break through.

 "Did I say something funny?" the warrior asked in confusion, looking around at the smirks.

    Schala tried to reply but couldn't.

    Lai snorted.

 "We're strange, eh?" she said in jocular irritation, "I'm not the one who's got half of Janus' arm down my throa- _JANUS_!!"

    To be perfectly honest, the wizard's hand was barely resting above Molor's forked tongue, but it was still a rather creepy sight. Cered took a step backwards and Schala's eyes bulged as they saw what Lai was hysterical at while Frog just sighed, pressed a hand against his face and shook his head. He couldn't find it in his heart to be shocked, which was what saddened him.

 "Don't worry, I'm just trying to fix his voice so that he can speak without pain," the wizard absentmindedly said, narrowing his eyes at the back of the snake's throat, "powers of the world…"

    Stars sparkled from his fingers and disappeared into the blackness. The wizard withdrew his hand and regarded the snake, who made a slight twitching movement with his head that traveled down through his entire body as a wave. Finally he coughed.

 "I believe it helped… ah, much better," he hissed, his voice clearly less hoarse than before.

 "One day, Janus," Frog slowly sighed, "one day thy actions will be the demise of somebody."

 "I sure hope not, unless it's somebody like Flea," the wizard said with a slight chuckle, picking up his staff.

    He straightened up to smile reassuringly at his still slightly pale sister.

 "Shall we try to get ourselves and everyone else out of here, then?" he mildly questioned.

    Schala just blinked at first. Then she glanced at Frog and Lai.

 "Does he do things like that often?" the princess wondered.

 "All the time!" the two warriors of king Guardia of the seventh century groaned.

 "Oh dear."

Nearly an hour later the group of five humans and a snake stood beside the stair of the fortress, watching the former servants and soldiers hurry out onto the shore. Some of them smiled or at least waved slightly at their helpers, though most just seemed to wish that they could get away from there as soon as possible. Such was the general idea that the soldiers gave, if it was for fear or shame was hard to tell. 

 "That's gratefulness around here?" Lai dryly said, "some people in this era have no manners."

 "Oh, but they know when to fear a woman like you, I'm certain," Janus commented, nodding at a soldier who's mask had turned at the group faintly but quickly turned away as his pace accelerated.

 "Thus they are wise," Molor agreed.

    When you're a snake, you're damn good at bending aside. Which was lucky for the reptile.

 "Thou seem to have learnt well in a short time," Frog chuckled, having to leap aside to avoid the massive, white body's escape.

 "Janus is a good teacher," the snake hissed, nearly toppling over himself.

    Lai halted her pursuit at those words, straightening up and throwing a glance over her shoulder at the wizard.

 "I guess that you are excused then, Molor," she said and turned around completely.

    In a very bad defense, Janus crossed his pointing fingers at his fiancée; a sign against evil forces.

    Schala watched all this happen, absentmindedly fiddling with the pendant which was back around her neck after they had retrieved it from the engine room of the fortress. A smile touched her lips as she saw her brother retreat.

 "One would think she's put a spell on him," the blue-haired woman murmured, shaking her head, "I have a hard time seeing the sad little boy in that man. And yet…"

    She chuckled at the sight of Janus pressing his back against the black wall.

    Cered lowered the piece of purple cloth with which he had been trying to dry his dripping arms; a piece of Schala's right sleeve. Half her arm was bare now, but it was a sacrifice she'd done willingly for her friend's and her own freedom's sake.

    The reason that the man from Garadia was drying his arms was that he'd tried to wash off the worst dirt with water from the ocean. Salt water wasn't the best, but magical couldn't help much when it came to cleaning off dust that was this stuck.

 "'Tis perhaps in a twisted sense," Cered spoke with a short laugh, "but in my eyes he appears joyful."

    Schala regarded her little brother as he suddenly turned the play fight around by easily lifting Lai by the waist which got him out of reach for her fists.

 "You're just a coward," she claimed, placing her hands on his stretched arms.

    Janus shook his head.

 "You can swear that you'll make my life miserable, but don't blame me for fighting back," he stated.

 "Do you mean you'll at last start acting like a man?"

 "Now that hurt."

    The last servants gave the fighting two strange looks as they ran down the stair, but apparently had no desire to ask stupid questions. 

    The princess of Zeal smiled strangely, thinking about the grown Janus whom she and her little brother had met in the snowstorm far below the magical kingdom of their birth. It felt like ages had passed since she had seen that crouching man and looked into the red eyes veiled with memories of agony. Even more distant it seemed as she now watched what that bitter warlock had created.

    And she silently thanked him with all her heart. 

    Cered broke her out of her thoughts, placing his now fairly clean hand on her shoulder.

 "We should search out our stolen equipment from the bowels of this foul creation before we leave," he pointed out.

 "Of course," she nodded, turning to their shortest troop member, "tell me Glenn, which is the best way to break Lai from fighting with Janus?"

    Frog looked up, smirking slightly as he caught her tone.

 "Methinks the only way would be a well placed blow to the back of her head. However, I will not be the one earning her wrath, for 'tis a horror which I fear I would not survive."

 "Then I suggest we simply leave them here as guards," the princess said with a chuckle. 

    Cered looked at her with his eyebrows raised.

 "It appears to me that whatever curse surrounds thy brother and his friends has caught thee as well, Schala," he commented, his lips twitching.

 "Aye," Frog said, shaking his head, "the air of madness is a foul and powerful plague that touches all who dares to come near the royal wizard of Guardia."

 "Why does everybody blame me for everything?" Janus called, still holding Lai at an arm's length.

 "Thou bring it upon thyself, poor fool!" the knight snorted. 

 'Happy your teacher and friend isn't here?' Molor chuckled, silently.

 'I thank all higher forces that be,' the wizard replied, mentally rolling his eyes.

 "Be nice now, girl," he said aloud, taking the risk to put Lai down.

 "Fine, I'll get you later," she promised, but the vague smirk was more of a smile this time.

 "Let's go and find your things then," Janus nodded at his sister and Cered, "then we can think of a way of destroying this overgrown cottage and decide our next step."

The sun was starting to set, its last rays dancing over the waves of the seemingly endless ocean that had swallowed an entire kingdom. It also glistened on the dully black walls of Dalton's fortress.

    Standing on top of a massive sand dune, a man raised the staff he held in both hands, pointing it towards the ground. His long blue hair waved peacefully in the somewhat chilly winds of the evening; a sharp contrast to what he was about to do. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 "Na sela uloro worch netal vonodra kchar!" the royal wizard of Guardia roared, burying several inches of his staff in the sand.

    At first, it seemed as if he had done nothing but ramble gibberish in a very loud voice. Nothing happened.

    Then, without a sound, the black fortress by the water simply disappeared, melted into the golden sky, the sand and the ocean. The only trace that remained of it was the holes it had dug up by pushing the sand downwards with its weight. 

    And Janus fell backwards with a heavy sigh, getting caught by strong hands and a massive, white head however. Cered and Molor carefully helped the wizard to lay down on the ground as he without force pressed his hands against his burning forehead.

 "Na matala sela," Frog gently murmured, sending several waves of healing light over his friend.

 "Well, that was interesting…" Janus muttered as the pain began to subside, waving at the empty space where the fortress had been.

    He smiled slightly as Lai caught the raised arm and hung it over her shoulders to support him.

 "You really are a masochist," she muttered, shaking her head.

 "I just do what I have to… urgh…"

    He pulled a face and rubbed his forehead.

 "Do you get a headache every time you use Shadow magic?" Schala concernedly said, hunching down beside her brother.

    As she after some searching in the fortress had found the clothes she had worn when Dalton had captured her and her friends, she had managed to startle a couple of people. Her brother had pretended to be surprised as well, but having seen her in the alternate future he wasn't too surprise. Her older version had been a bit more modest, but the short skirt and the sleeveless shirt was very similar.

 "Somebody said Shadow didn't work well as my element," Janus said, his face almost completely hidden behind his hand.

 "They were right, I believe," his sister said, frowning, "Shadow doesn't suit your personality. Maybe as you used to be when you were a child, but…"

    She shook her head.

 "Not much to do about it, I guess. I'll just have to deal with it…" the wizard shrugged and started to get to his feet, but was stopped by a quick and democratic vote.

    Settling in the sand, Cered nodded.

 "Well then, my friends," he said, "what is our next course of action?"

 "Dost thee have any pressing matters?" Frog asked with quite a bit of hopeful hesitance in his voice, looking at the three newest parts of the group.

    Schala and Cered exchanged glances.

 "During our journey we ran into a few disturbing discoveries," Schala finally said and smiled at her brother and his friends, "but with the power of time travel at our hands I believe that cleaning up history is something that we can deal with later."

 "As long as it's nothing that you believe is pressing, I would like to say that going to Guardia is desirable," Janus said with a nod, "time might not pass normally in the way we travel, but I would like to deal with the problems we were aiming for before stumbling to this place."

 "In other words he's itching to punch Flea's lights out, and I'm agreeing," Lai helpfully translated. 

    Schala softly chuckled.

 "Fully understandable," she smiled, "and I do look forward to seeing the era that managed to corrupt my little brother so gravely."

    Janus looked at Molor, who did his best to look indifferent.

 "_You_ are on my side, right?" the wizard questioned.

    The snake just laughed.

    Traitor.


	40. Gotta love those sadistical types

Chapter 8, Of Memories and Knights

Guardia was enjoying an early spring. Leaves not bigger than mouse ears were tickling the branches of the trees and bushes, drinking the sunlight that flowed from the skies onto the world. The first few strands of grass curiously made their way above ground to explore the forest roads.

    The first thing Schala saw as she stepped through the Gate together with Cered and Frog was her little brother, resting his hand against a thick tree trunk beside the grassy road they had stepped out on. Sunlight sparkled in his long blue hair, caressing his cheeks and closed eyelids.

    Lai silently stood beside him, in an almost alien show of affection resting her hand on his shoulder. Just as silently, Molor had curled up by their feet. His dead, cold eyes held a soft, content look and he almost seemed to smile.

    A sad smile touched the princess' lips as she watched. And she knew. She'd seen Cered in the same state of mind several times when they had returned to his home to rest. But for her sake, he always pushed it away for another amount of time. It was however something she knew that she could not ask of either of them to give up forever; the serene, welcoming embrace of the place they loved as their homes.

    Her heart ached dully, still it didn't hurt as much as she'd thought it would. Her little brother was happy, and now she knew exactly where he was, just like he would know where she was in the past with the man she loved. The siblings had found each other only to realize that they had their own lives.

 'I understand, Janus,' she softly sent to his mind, unwilling to break the peace by talking aloud.

    It took him a moment to reply.

 'I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to break away from here again, but I didn't want to hurt you,' he finally replied, his thoughts heavy with hesitance.

 'You love this place, I can see it. That's all that matters,' she softly assured.

    Another pause.

 'Yes…'

    Janus opened his eyes, smiling gently at nothing though there was a hint of sadness in his gaze.

 'I'm sorry.'

 'You know that I can't stay?' Schala whispered, and now it was her turn to sound sad.

 'Better than you believe, sister,' he replied with a vaguely strange tone, 'but it's not like…'

 '… We'll loose each other again, no,' the older sister gently agreed.

    Janus looked around, the sadness in his eyes faltering.

 "Fine, I'm done."

    This earned him a few smiles and chuckles. Frog held up a hand.

 "As well as thee dost feel it, my heart aches to calm the worried souls of our friends. But may I suggest that we save at the least Her Majesty from a heart attack?" he asked, nodding meaningly at the white tower of muscles on the ground.

 "Actually, I _was_ thinking of that. Don't give me that look," the wizard defended himself.

 "Sure. We believe you," Lai murmured, nodding slowly.

 "Bah. Molor?"

    The snake straightened up with a nod, uncoiling himself as he slipped over the road towards the wizard. Then he suddenly lowered his head to the ground, turning himself straightly at Janus' shadow. Like a gigantic worm he slipped out of sight, into the hole of sunlight on the ground.   

 "That was a new one," Schala commented as the white tip of Molor's "tail" disappeared without a trace.

 "Glad that you like it," her brother said and let his staff disappear, "shall we?"

 "Would it be possible to see a map of this land?" Cered asked as they began to walk towards the north.

 "Certainly," Frog nodded, "how so?"

    The warrior of the past smiled, glancing up at the sky.

 "I find a strange joy in studying how Garadia has changed over the thousands of years through which we have traveled," he explained.

 "'Tis not a joy I would deem peculiar," the knight said in a friendly, conversational manner.

 "Perhaps so… 'tis the castle?" 

    Cered squinted at the spires that could be seen just above the treetops.

 "Yes, that's it," Janus replied over his shoulder, as he and Lai walked a couple of steps ahead.

 "Indeed, 'tis very different from the palace in my homeland," the Garadian almost absentmindedly said, still watching the towers.

    Schala pursed her mouth so that it truly looked like a very dry smile. It seemed that she had thoughts about the palace in Cered's time, which she would not voice however. She knew that the emperor was like a god to the people of Garadia, and there were limits she did not want to push.

    They met a patrol as they neared the castle, ten soldiers following a knight. The sound of their armors had been heard a couple of minutes before the group met the troop.

    The military men almost fell over each other as they came face to face with Janus, Lai and Frog, the latter slipping up beside his old-time friends to smile at the men under his command.

 "I thought you said things had been peaceful," Janus commented, glancing at the general with a twitching smile.

    Frog was about to reply, but was cut off by the cheer of the soldiers.

 "You're alive!"

 "Order!" the knight snarled, throwing out his armored arm which nearly smashed out the teeth of the nearest, unlucky soldier.

    "Order" was not exactly the effect by that.

 "'Twas uncalled for, Sir," Frog grunted and stepped forwards together with Janus to see if anybody in the fallen heap required healing.

    But before he kneeled before the soldiers however, the wizard narrowed his eyes slightly at the knight, then raised his hand to his forehead in a salute. His dry smirk was less than respectful, though. Frog glanced upwards and then closed his eyes with a silent groan. And at the same time he had to conceal a snicker. 

    Of course, Lai was less courteous, halfway hiding her smirk with her hand. Glancing around her shoulder at their two guests, she removed her hand slightly and mouthed "here we go again".  

 "What joy," Janus dryly said though he smiled, "Sir knight South. Still alive?"

 "It's more than you should be, you damn traitor," the knight replied in an icy voice.

    The blue-haired man raised an eyebrow at the angered eyes that were visible under the shadow of the dully gray helmet.

 "Excuse me, _Sir_?"

 "You claimed that you killed Flea, but then we receive reports of that he's quite active. You should know better than to lie to the king, wizard," Sir South growled, crossing his arms with a violently clanging sound.

    Lai opened her mouth in anger, considered it for a moment and then took a step backwards instead, shaking her head.

 "Who in all powers' name is that?" Schala muttered to the younger woman, frowning.

 "Former _lieutenant_ South," Lai replied from the corner of her mouth, without taking her eyes off the two men, "he was in charge of the new recruits during the time of Janus and Glenn's training days."

 "I think I get the picture," Schala said with a somewhat tired tone, watching the back of her brother's head.

    That at least meant that he still knew how to raise hell with his teachers. Always something that remained true to his childhood.

    During the women's short conversation, the chilly argument had continued. 

 "I did not lie to anybody, it was my full and true belief that Flea was dead," Janus said, pointing downwards with the hand not used for the never ceasing mock-salute, "general Frog is my witness if _you don't believe me_."

 "Then why was the Mystic trying to murder the general and our _new_ royal wizard?" the knight retorted, scowling.

    Janus didn't lower his hand, but his eyes were steadily turning colder and thinner.

 "That is exactly why I returned, as I found out that the damn magician was still in one piece," he explained.

 "You used magic for the final blow, didn't you?"

    South's voice carried a hint of triumph by those words. Cered happened to glance at Frog, noticing that the general cringed slightly.

    Finally Janus lowered his hand to fold his arms over his chest.

 "I suppose that you've got me there, Sir," he coldly said.

 "Aha. Of course," the knight scoffed, his lips twitching towards a smirk.

 "Yes, of course," Janus echoed, slowly nodding, "raw, dumb strength beats the power of a mind every time, Sir."

 "As does Flea's continued life prove, wizard."

    The knight snorted.

 "And now you make your grand return, I see. I hope you realize all the trouble this means for the rest of us, considering the defenses we'll need to reestablish because of the assassins that will start showing up again because of you."

 "What defenses? As far as I remember I haven't needed guardians since I was thirteen," Janus said in a coldly calm voice, "but I must say it's sweet of you to care. And here I thought that you wanted me hanged from the castle walls."

 "Quit trying to be a wisecrack, it's not working."

 "Funny, I was thinking the same about you. But as I now am a lowly civilian, I have no right to speak up to a _knight_."

    At this, Janus glanced downwards at Frog, who was straightening up from healing the swollen upper lip of the unlucky front soldier. South tried not to follow the movement of his opponent's eyes but threw a quick glance at the green head, clenching his teeth. Glenn might have been a giant amphibian, but it was no longer a secret who he was – as Janus had more or less guessed by luck. And the one who had been a recruit in the much older man's not too gentle grip had in a depressingly short time reached a position far higher than his instructor.

    Lai held back a groan, thinking to herself that the hidden and clear insults were getting really damn low on both sides. At least Janus didn't speak the last thing out loud, but it was borderline. Turning her head to meet Schala's eyes, she saw that the sister was reaching the same thoughts. Cered was watching the show with his eyebrows raised and a look of slight disbelief all over his face. 

    Janus was apparently growing sick of it too, for he took a step backwards and performed the salute again.

 "Speaking of which, I am certain that you have better things to do than to chatter with me, Sir," he said, "I sure know that I have."

 "And dost thee not, then so dost _I_," Frog firmly cut in before another wave of the argument could crash upon the beach of time, "let us be on our way. _Now_."

    He made his way past the troop, smiling at the soldiers as he did so. Janus followed without a word, looking over his shoulder and waiting a second for the three who had stayed out of the line.

    The soldiers quickly started moving in their own direction upon South's order, and soon the two groups were out of each other's sight.

 "Sorry about that," Janus said after a short while, looking around and rubbing his neck, "he drags out the worst in me, I'm afraid."

 "Aye, 'tis a gift the man has," Frog dryly agreed, shaking his head without slowing down.

 "Come now, art not all men who train soldiers harsh?" Cered pointed out, tilting his head slightly in remaining disbelief.

    The two in the front stopped and turned around, nodding in agreement at the red-haired man.

 "Certainly," Frog said, "believeth us not to speak ill of him for no reason. Our discontent is born from Sir South's love of handing out punishment."

 "Would you like a man who might lock you up for one day because you tried to help a friend get to his feet after falling into the mud?" Janus said and waved slightly at the green warrior at his side, shaking his head at the memory of Cyrus' disbelieving face. 

 "And punish a youngster because the beast that attempted to end his life disrupted the training?" Frog grimaced.

    He paused for a moment.

 "On the other hand, I will hand him that the memories of some of his actions have caused us many a merry moments," the general added, as if to make peace with the old tormentor.

 "Just say the truth, you're both crybabies," Lai smirked and patted both their heads as she brushed past them.

 "One grain of respect for the pain we have to remember for the rest of our lives, is that too much to ask?" Janus called after her back, but it was hardly with an angry tone.

    Lai glanced over her shoulder.

 "Do you want me to answer that?" she shot back.

 "Not really. Hmm?"

    Janus turned to Schala as she draped her arm around his shoulders, laughing.

 "With the risk of earning your love's wrath as well," the princess said with a wide smile, "I would like you to forget your torments and listen to a bit of sisterly advice."

 "Yes?" the wizard said, his lips twitching with her laughter.

    Schala pointed at Lai who was walking backwards now to keep an eye on what was going on.

 "When it comes to knights like him and women like her, brother… run, run for your life. That goes for you too, Glenn."

 "It's far too late for that, I fear…" the wizard chuckled while Frog shook his head and started to follow Lai, laughter trickling from his giant mouth.

 "And where dost I fit into such a warning?" Cered questioned, stepping up beside Schala.

 "I know that you already are too far gone already, dear," she told him, laughing softly as he tried to fake surprise.


	41. Where have I seen THIS before?

Chapter 9, Ah, the parallels, the parallels… 

It was a practical truth that in order to make it into the castle in broad daylight without getting spotted, one would have to be invisible. Peace with the Mystics did not change the fact that there always were guards by the gate. 

    That was, unless they saw something really surprising that caused them to run inside and yell in euphoria at the people in the throne room. The message turned all heads and drove the king and queen up from their thrones in relieved joy, but before they could rush to meet the bitterly missed friends, Frog, Lai and Janus entered behind the happy guards.

 "You're alive!" rung through the castle. 

    Schala stopped in the gate to give her brother and new allies a chance to explain themselves, Cered standing just behind her. He held back a chuckle as he watched her facial expressions.

    That Frog kneeled to greet his king and queen did not surprise Schala at all. Neither that Lai did, really. But though the big sister had gotten an inkling, the picture of her Janus gracefully going down on one knee before the much older man in the red robes was still a sight that shook her universe.

    She could feel Cered shake with silent laughter as he put a jocularly calming hand on her shoulder. Meanie.

 "Your Majesties…" the three said almost simultaneously, but were cut short.

 "Stand up, all of you," king Guardia smiled, on the brink of grinning of joy, "you had us worried."

 "We apologize from the depths of our hearts, my liege," Frog smiled as he stood, still courtly bowing his head.

 "The troop that came back from the eastern island told us that you had ordered them to flee because Flea was alive and had caught general Frog and wizard Lai, Janus," the king continued, his smile fading a bit, "but you claimed that he was dead a year ago, did you not?"

 "It was my full belief that he died," Janus nodded without looking up, "but somehow he must have escaped the final blow. As monsters disintegrate when they die, it can be difficult to be absolutely sure. As soon as I heard a rumor about him being alive I returned here."

    He cleared his throat.

 "I apologize for giving your soldiers orders without the authority, my liege," he added in a somewhat jocularly serious tone, "my intent on the old Mystic island was however pure."

 "Blasphemer!" Lai muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. 

    Leene hid her smile with her fine, gloved hand, and as many times before many found it natural to mirror their queen. 

 "I will let it slide this time, Janus," the king said, fighting to contain his laughter.

 "I am most grateful, my liege," the former royal wizard said, throwing a fake glare at his successor. 

    Schala bit her lower lip not to chuckle aloud, shaking her head to herself. This was truly nothing like the honor-heavy throne room of Zeal kingdom. Glancing at Cered, she saw a glistening of the same disbelief in his eyes. He had never been in the palace of Garadia, but the people of his homeland were very serious about status and what was appropriate. This was an entirely different world for both of them.

 "The most important thing is that you and the soldiers are safe, after all," king Guardia said after assembling his endangered composure, "I am most relieved about this. And you are truly welcome back, Janus."

 "Thank you, my liege," the wizard said, smiling.

    Schala listened more to his tone than his voice, and a warm glow of joyful pride bloomed in her chest. In her brother's words was true happiness, mixed with respect and gratefulness. To stand before the much older man and greet him offered Janus far more joy than any pleasure that his homeland could have provided for its sad prince.

    Only halfway knowing about it, she placed her own hand on Cered's, which rested upon her shoulder. He softly smiled just behind her pointy ear. 

    With her lips twitching with the merry knowledge of the reactions that the news would bring, Lai sunk back onto one knee.

 "My liege," she said and bowed her head in a rare show of respect that was almost as shocking as Janus' improvement over the years, "I wish to resign from my position as the royal wizard, for I believe that there is one who deserves it better."

    This earned her a few slightly confused glances.

 "I respect your wish, Lai," king Guardia somewhat hesitantly said and looked at the smiling, blue-haired man, "but…?"

    Janus gently shook his head.

 "My liege, there is nothing that calls me away from Guardia now."

    He turned around and held out his hand towards the gate.

 "Your Majesties and my friends, this is my sister, Schala. And her traveling companion Cered."

    A little hesitant about how to greet royalty that was not his emperor, Cered settled for stopping one step behind Frog, press his fist against his heart and bow. Schala took Janus' hand when she could reach it, and curtseyed with her other arm crossing her chest, moving surprisingly gracefully considering how strict her new skirt seemed at first glance. Her heavy blue locks tumbled around her shoulders for every movement she did. 

 "I wish to thank you from the bottom of my soul for all you have done for my little brother, Your Majesty," she softly smiled as she straightened up, the words and warm tone screaming against her earlier "are you _sure_…" comments. 

    It took a couple of seconds for the surprised inhabitants of the throne room to digest this information. Janus fought back a fond chuckle at the blinks.

 "Since I now know that she is safe," he warmly spoke, "I have no reasons not to return to your service, my liege."

    Schala regarded him and smiled, her lips twitching.

 "You truly, _truly_ have changed since I last saw you," she murmured, trying to wipe the laughter off her lips with her free hand.

 "I thought you had realized that already," Janus retorted.

    Leene reached out and placed her fine, gloved hands around the siblings' grip of each other.

 "I cannot say how happy I am to know of your success, Janus," the queen gently said, and turned her softly blue eyes to the sister, "you are warmly welcome to Guardia, lady Schala. So are you, Sir Cered."

 "I thank thee, Your Majesty," the man of Garadia smiled, sending surprised and briefly amused glances flying between him and Frog – who smirked slightly as he had expected it. 

 "If you keep this up, Janus, Lai," king Guardia said and shook his head with a smile, "we will have to think of a ceremony for appointing new royal wizards. You would like that, wouldn't you, chancellor?"

    The elderly man allowed himself a rare chuckle that was shared by several in the room as Janus shook his head with a pained look.

    Frog crossed his arms, faking a thoughtful expression.

 "A query comes to mind," he said with a gentle snicker, "would the title be an inherited one?"

 "What?" Leene said, looking down as Janus moved his hand to reveal the ring on his finger. 

    The queen opened her mouth again, but Lai came in between, raising her adorned hand.

 "I got him!" she triumphantly announced, grinning from ear to ear.

 "I think that would be something Flea would say…" Janus grunted, but smiled at her. 

    For a moment, the throne room was silent. 

    Leene turned her head and looked at her husband.

 "I believe that I won, dear," she declared, smiling widely. 

    King Guardia looked at his wife in surprise at first, but then started laughing. 

 "And the cook owe me now!" the chancellor triumphantly nodded. 

 "Curses, I lost ten silver coins!" the knight to the right of the king's throne sighed.

    Similar mutters were heard from several directions. 

    Janus blinked.

    Then he tugged his hand free from the grip of the two royal women and pressed it against his face, closing his eyes.

 "Isn't there anybody who doesn't place bets on my life?" he grunted, glancing at his snickering fiancée.

 "I dost not," Frog helpfully informed.

    Then he cleared his throat, innocently looking up at the ceiling.

 "'Tis merely too simple, I know thee too well," he admitted.

 "Oh, don't worry Janus, so far I haven't let you down like that," Schala promised, putting her hand on her groaning brother's shoulder.

    She looked around.

 "Say, Cered… would you like to guess on whether…"

 "_Schala_!" Janus cried in a tragic voice, raising his hands to the sky as laughter exploded around him.  

    Letting his arms fall he folded them across his chest and stoically waited for the laugh to die down and give him a chance to speak again. Finally, as Leene was drying her eyes with a handkerchief, the wizard tilted his head a bit.

 "Now, I believe that we have covered most of the issues…" he said and coughed, "this might be a little more difficult though. There's another friend of Schala and Cered's, but he's not a human."

    Frog froze for a second and then cringed, giving Janus a pleading look.

 "Is he a monster?" king Guardia asked in mild confusion.

    Before the wizard even could open his mouth, the green general held up his hand.

 "I beseech thee, Janus," the knight sighed, "leave at least this matter to one whom is a better diplomat."

    Janus smirked at that, but nodded. 

 "Fine," he said and stepped back.

 "My liege," the knight said, shaking his head with closed eyes while he could feel Lai snicker at him, "this last companion was hidden by Janus due to his appearance. Molor as he is named is indeed a beast, yet not a monster. He is a snake, but he can speak."

 "Don't look at me like that, he's Cered's pet," Janus defended himself as quite expressive gazes turned on him.

 "But I notice that he hast been favoring thee since thee met," the man from Garadia mildly commented.

 "Snake," Leene spoke, flatly.

 "Aye, a huge one," Frog sighed, bowing his head. 

 "Do not worry, Your Majesties," Schala gently tried to smoothen the expressions, "I assure you that Molor is a friendly creature."

 "And he can speak for himself, after all," Janus said as he bent down a bit, stretching his arm downwards with the palm turned to the floor.

 "Eh…" king Guardia hesitantly began, but was cut off as the gigantic, white head gracefully arose from the wizard's shadow.

    Frog quickly stepped up before Leene, turning his back defensively at her to assure the queen that she would be safe. He did not feel like taking chances about her fainting.

    Armored backs hit the wall as knights and soldiers without thinking stepped back in shock, eyes widening in fearful fascination as the pure white creature continued to crawl out of Janus' shadow, seemingly for an eternity. But all the while, Molor kept his head resting against the wizard's hand, which made it rather clear that he was calm.

    For the sake of Leene Frog was not very amused, but his traveling companions had to fight hard not to grin or chuckle. 

    As the tip of his tail finally made it above ground, Molor calmly curled up before the wide eyes around him. And chuckled slightly.

 "One would think that I was at least twice as big and had three heads," he said in his softly hissing voice.  

 "Or spat fire," Janus said to add up.

    But as he spoke out those words he felt a faint pang of anguish deep down inside his friend's mind, but it was so well hidden that he hardly caught it. And before he could ask, king Guardia spoke.

 "Good God."

    However it was more tiredly than in fear, and the king leaned his cheek in his hand while shaking his head to put more emphasis on his state of mind.

 "Ah, simply regard me as a friendly… what are they called? Mystic," Molor said, a smile to be heard.

 "Mystics are normally smaller," the king commented, but now he was straightening up.

    The mere fact that he replied strongly proved that though he was still quite hesitant, there was a chance that he could grow to accept the gigantic creature before him. 

    Janus could _feel_ Lai bite back a comment about Ozzie for the pure sake of diplomacy, though there were no monsters present. 

    Or so he thought. 

    On the wall outside of one of the throne room's windows, the wind found itself taking turns around something that it couldn't see. Something that growled and took off at amazing speed however, heading towards the island carrying the crumbled remains of a castle.

    Upon arrival into the great cavern, the creature was quite shocked to find that its ghastly companion was being throttled by their master, but as it eventually got the explanation from the others it could only wince. 

    Flea was in a worse mood than ever, and for a bloody bad reason as he expressed it himself. While the royal wizard and his friends discussed more practical matters such as rooms for the night, the magician made a decision. 

"You people are true optimists," Janus said as he with a pleasant sigh had looked around his old room to find it in the exact same state that he had left it in. 

 "Either that or stubborn as hell," Lai nodded, stepping in behind him, "hey!"

    The small shriek was due to the fact that Molor slithered inside past her moving feet and curled up on the simple blue carpet beside the bed with a content hiss. 

 "Sleeping in a dungeon is not very comfortable even for me," he said, resting his big head on top of the tower that he had created out of himself.

    Schala stepped inside the room, closely followed by Cered.

 "Neither is a prisoner's bed, I assure you," the princess somewhat dryly informed, but then smiled, "it's a nice room, Janus."

    It sounded a little awkward coming from her, as she was not used to rating her brother's choice of life just yet. But the wizard just smiled.

 "A bit empty now, I'll take care of that. Tomorrow."

    He added the last bit while rubbing his neck, glancing at the reddish evening sky outside of the window.

 "The guest rooms that the king promised you are down the…"

    He didn't get further as running steps came down the corridor outside. The wizard almost closed his eyes, instinctively knowing that this meant the end of any plans of a peaceful evening.

    The guard diving into the doorway was no calming sight with his wide eyes and face red with the strain of his dash.

 "What?" Janus demanded with a scowl, absentmindedly reaching for his staff while his sister and Cered turned around in surprise.

    The moment it took for the poor man to gain enough control of his breathing to gasp out the broken information stretched out like ages.

 "Queen Leene… Flea!" he finally choked.

 "Where?!" five voices shouted in shock.

 "Royal… room…!"

 "Damn him!"

    Janus didn't think, he simply teleported. And stumbled on the floor of the royal bedroom just when Frog leaped over the heads of five shocked guards and the king, uttering words that seemed alien coming from his knightly lips.

    Flea glared daggers at the room in general, standing by the far back wall behind the royal bed. The all too well-known mantis was with him. And the insect was holding one of his sword arms against the queen's neck. Leene meanwhile was desperately gripping the steel-hard, thin green arm pressing her shoulders backwards into the armored chest, her face pale as death with tears of horror flowing from her eyes.

 "About time," Flea said in a cold, bored voice, folding his arms.

    Janus narrowed his eyes further, confusion being added to the rage. There was no triumph in the magician's voice, only a dull hatred despite his obvious upper hand. This was strange enough to cut though the anger that otherwise clouded the wizard's head.

 "Release the queen, thou bastard!" Frog roared, the green fingers turning white-green under his gloves as he clenched his hands around the Masamune's hilt.

    In any other situation, such a phrase coming from the knight would have driven anybody off focus, but right then it was too diminutive to bother with. 

 "I'm not talking with you," Flea just said, his icicle glare not for a second leaving Janus.

 "Let her go, Flea," the wizard hissed, his fingers twitching as he dearly wished that he could have summoned his staff without endangering Leene's life further. 

 "No."

    Janus opened his mouth again, but whatever he desperately was trying to think of was cut off by Schala's telepathic shout.

 'Lai says that she's calling for help, try to win time!'

    The wizard wasn't in the right mind to care to ask, he didn't have time for that. Gripping for hay he desperately replayed what had been said so far.

 "What, no nicknames for us today?" he dared, with a rapidly sinking feeling realizing that he was pushing a limit which he couldn't see as Flea's teeth became visible in a growl.

 "No, Janus, not today, not ever again," the magician hissed, "and your queen is going to die."

    Janus clenched his teeth tightly while Frog tried to keep himself under control. Vaguely he heard king Guardia suck in his breath and saw Leene tense further, her already wide eyes growing even bigger in fear. Armors clanked hesitantly as the soldiers made movements only to realize that they were worthless in the next moment.

 'Schala!' the wizard shouted to his sister's mind, on the verge of pleading.

 'Hang on, he's on his way she says!' the princess harshly replied.

    Janus opened and closed his fists, his brain racing for ways to delay Flea's plan.

 "Why Leene all of a sudden?" he finally said, hoarsely.

 "You'll suffer."

    The chilly reply was not exactly what Janus had expected, but it gave him more options though he didn't dare to look at Frog, nor anybody else in the room.

 "There are other ways that you could make me suffer," the wizard said in a controlled voice, though large parts of him were screaming things similar to "not again, not again, good powers, _not ever again_!".

    He had at least expected Flea to sneer, but the magician's cold, indifferent face did not change.

 "This is the way I choose," he said, in the same way as the whole conversation had gone in.

    Leene made a pathetic squeaking sound as the mantis' grip tightened.

    Janus' jaw almost broke.

 "No, Flea, listen," he quickly said, all pride discarded for the safety of the queen though it left a bitter taste of hopelessness in his mouth, "you've got me, alright? You win."

    The last words did have an effect, however it was yet again nothing that was expected. Flea's eyes closed and his head fell a slight bit.

 "No… I don't," he muttered, bitterness lacing his voice.  

    Even Frog lowered his weapon a little in pure surprise at this.

 "Flea…" Janus said in a much softer voice, through the confusion aiming for the sudden weakness.

    This again did not have the desired effect as Flea snapped back up with rage flaring in his eyes. The wizard tried to fight a wince to little avail.

    Without another word the magician raised his right hand, pressing the thumb and middle finger against each other to snap his fingers as a signal to the mantis.

 "No!" half a dozen voices shouted in despair.

    Flea's lips were pressed white as the muscles in his fingers constricted.

    Suddenly the room was showered in a rain of broken glass and the mantis stumbled aside to avoid the blade cutting through the air. A pair of leather boots hit the ground, a pure white jacket fell to wave behind a tall monster as he straightened up with the pieces of the broken window still hitting the floor around his feet. The sinking sun outside painted flames on his bare, purple head and the Slasher's thin edge.

 "Put the queen down, you damn insects," Slash said, cold as ice. 


	42. Flea troubles take II

Chapter 10, Royally messed up

Flea spluttered in rage as he stared at the other general past the hissing mantis and the queen, the wine-colored eyes glistening with hatred.

 "Why… you!" he finally managed to hiss.

    Slash looked no more pleased, his white eyes narrowed and the thick lips withdrawn from his sharp teeth.

 "Flea," he spoke without disconnecting his two rows of fangs, "you are under arrest for treas_augh_!"

    His announcement was cut off since he was sent flying backwards into the wall. The spread fingers on Flea's still raised hand twitched as the purple monster got to his feet, swearing in a forgotten language.

 "You're not one to speak of treason, Slash!" the magician snarled.

    He saw the movement from the corner of his eye and spun around, raising his other hand against the staff and the Masamune. But the mantis screeched and let Leene unceremoniously fall, diving between his master and the attackers.

    Without thinking Janus released his weapon and dove for the shocked and trembling queen, knowing that he got under the sword arms of the insect but prepared to take that risk. Grabbing Leene's arms and dashing backwards he noticed to his further disbelief that the assassin was focusing completely on parrying the Masamune, ignoring the wizard completely. Normally not even an earthquake would have kept the transformed Mystics from a chance to wound their target. 

    Leaving the still pretty much paralyzed woman in the safety of the soldiers – who quickly closed their lines behind her as one of them led the queen to her husband – Janus reached out and silently called his staff to his hand as he swept back towards the two monsters and Frog again. Just as his fingers closed around the wood he saw Slash from the corner of his eye, the purple Mystic back on his feet and dashing forwards with his eyes set on the cornered couple.

    Flea put his hand on the mantis' steel arm, his pretty face a mask of rage.

 "Come and get me if you dare!" he snarled, disappearing in a bright light together with his ally.

    Frog stumbled forwards and the Slasher cut through the bluish wisps of magic that remained for the brief moment after the teleportation spell had gone off. Janus just barely managed to avert the staff from its arc which otherwise would have left quite a mark on his short friend's back.

 "Demons take that son of Lardon!" Slash cursed, punching the wall so that it left a small imprint in the unlucky stone.

    While Frog straightened up and with a growl sheathed the Masamune, Janus took in a few breaths in an attempt to calm down while he glanced at the monster. Slash gave him a cold glare and let his sword slide into its sheath.

    Turning away from the wizard, the swordsman addressed another part of the room.

 "I apologize for the window, king Guardia," he said in a neutral voice, "I was in a hurry."

 "That is quite alright, Slash," the king hoarsely replied, still pressing his trembling wife against his chest.

    Janus let his staff disappear, glancing between his liege, Frog, and Slash.

 "I feel as if I am missing something here," the wizard finally said.

 "We have been on friendlier terms during thy time of absence," Frog shortly explained though he was still scowling at the place where Flea had been standing, "though Slash was not the help I would have expected either."

 "I came here because your second royal wizard suddenly had our entire fortress shaking with a 'do you know what your crossdresser is doing?!'," the monster said, folding his arms across his chest and giving the ceiling a glare.

    He sighed briefly and looked at the king again.

 "I have been given the mission to catch Flea, king Guardia, for he is dead to the Mystics. This assault was an act he did on his own, and it will be added to his list of crimes, I assure you."

 "Very well," the king rather absentmindedly replied, most of his focus still on Leene. 

    Janus regarded the monster for a moment.

 "How long was I _really_ gone?" he muttered, but natural thoughts of the queen got in between for any longer reverie.

    Mentally slapping himself for being careless the wizard turned and quickly walked over to the royal couple, reaching out to carefully touch Leene's shivering shoulder.

 "Powers of the world…"

    Magic could do very little for the mind, but he could at least help the queen to calm her breath and slow her thundering pulse to a normal pace so that she would be able to regain herself quicker. 

    As the healing light gently showered Leene in its warmth, a little color returned to her face and she threw a weak but grateful glance at the wizard. But Janus' lips were pressed thin, his eyes hard as steel. Confusion at the expression clashed with her shaken state of mind and she simply couldn't bear to ask, leaning her head against her husband's calming heartbeat instead. 

 "My liege," Janus said in a stern voice as he backed off, pressing his fist to his heart and bowing briefly while he still moved.

    Something in the wizard's voice awakened the king from his trance, and he looked up with a frown.

 "Where are you going?" he demanded as the soldiers that had moved closer to the door warily backed away from the turning blue-hair.

 "To kill Flea, my liege," Janus replied in the same voice without looking around.

 "Halt thy steps, what art thou saying?" Frog called, leaping past the frowning and ignored Slash.

    The door was already open and Lai happened to enter right then, pushing her way past the crowd of soldiers, servants and knights outside closely followed by Cered. Schala was just one step behind, as was Molor. The snake moved easier than his allies, not because of his convenient form but the mere presence causing people to make way.

 "Move," Janus snarled, pushing his fiancée aside as she opened her mouth.

 "Wha?" Lai managed as she was discarded.

 "You could just follow their magic track and teleport after them, you know," Slash soberly pointed out.

 "I'm not angry enough to be _that_ stupid," Janus coldly informed without turning around, as gently as he could manage right then moving Schala sideways, seeming deaf to her questions.

    His eyes met Molor's but before the snake could hinder the human kindred soul, a metal glove brashly grabbed the wizard's collar. 

 "One does not run off from a scene like this without permission, wizard," a chilly voice stated, the hand shoving Janus backwards.

    The wizard stumbled but regained his balance a couple of steps back inside the room, with help from the staff and Cered's hand on his shoulder. And the fact that the hand in the glove kept its grip, sending flares through Janus' already misty brain as he lost his breath for a moment.

    Angrily gasping for air he glared at the knight, grabbing the armored wrist with his free hand.

 "Let go, South."

 "Janus, calm down!" Schala called, but her voice seemed to come from afar.

    All the wizard could see were the ice cold brown eyes that fiercely glowered at him without any triumph in a personal vendetta but pure hatred.

 "I would have rather seen that my warnings about you being a danger to the throne had remained nothing but hot air, Janus!" the knight snarled.

    Now that stroke a tender nerve. In fact, the nerve which had driven the wizard forwards in a short moment of blind rage. But instead of stringing the anger even more, the blow was a shattering one as the sin was exposed to all whom might have let it slide in the choking grip of anguish.

    Janus' first, natural impulse was to plant his fist in the snarling face before him. But the wish was extinguished like the tree lit by a lightning bolt, only leaving a charred skeleton behind. His fingers sagged, the grip slipping from South's wrist and the staff falling to the floor. 

    His lips were parted, but he had nothing to answer with.

 _"Why Leene all of a sudden?"_

_ "You'll suffer."_

 'You do win, Flea…'

 "A peculiar custom," Cered's far-off voice reached out through the storm of raw self contempt, "to blame one who helped, for a crime another attempted."

    With the metal clinking in protest South's fingers clashed when another man's hand took a hold of the grip and removed it from Janus' shirt.

 "Dost thee hang the innocent child of a villain as well?" the warrior of Garadia coldly questioned.

 "You very well know that I and Janus might have our disputes," South snapped back, "but this has nothing to do with that. Did you hear what Flea said about his reasons for killing the queen?"

 "The queen is alive," Lai's voice growled, though the stitch of hesitance in her tone stung like a poisoned spear through the heart.

 'Friend, listen to them,' Molor gently urged.

 "Janus? What do you have to say yourself?" South demanded, his voice seemingly the only one that the wizard's pointy ears managed to properly register for his aching brain.  

    The silence couldn't have been as deep and long as it seemed, but right then logic made little sense. 

    Shaking his head though the movement ripped his dry throat, Janus made another stumbling movement towards the door.

    A small hand wearing a leather glove caught his arm.

 "I wouldst rather not see the mistake I made after Yakra's fall be made anew," Frog spoke sincerely, but Janus shook himself free with a dull, irritated grunt.

 "You hold it right there, you moron!" Lai called, moving into the wizard's path with her palms turned to him.

    His ruby eyes rested on her, and for a moment he had to fight to remember who she was.

    Slender hands grasped his upper arms.

 "Little brother…" Schala's soothing whisper flowed through his burning mind like a river through the desert.

 'Friend,' Molor repeated, reaching out with his supporting presence to embrace the linked soul.

    But again the wizard just shook his head, trying to free himself. Lai's hands on his shoulders helped Schala and Molor to stop him for another vital moment, however. 

 "The king has been trying to talk to you for a while, sweetheart," the female wizard said with gentle boldness, "one would think that those big ears worked better than that."

    That worked better than a slap it seemed. Janus straightened up and turned to king Guardia, who hadn't moved much. Leene now stood beside him, but her husband still kept his right arm draped around her shoulders for support, as she still was a little pale. By now her eyes had regained their life however.

 "Thank you, Lai," the king nodded, then turned to his first royal wizard, "and as for you, Janus, I was saying that you should calm down. I will not allow you to pursue Flea alone. It's too dangerous."

 "My liege…" the wizard began.

 "Where have your mathematic skills gone?" Lai snapped, "he's got five assassins, how do you plan to survive that on your own?"

    Janus shook his head, glaring at the floor. He could hear Slash mutter in a low voice, idly guessing that he was reporting to Ozzie. 

 "I can't let him move this battle from the personal level," the blue-hair growled, "he has never attacked anyone else like that before… not after Thomas' death."

 "Because you wouldn't let the assassins touch anyone else," king Guardia said in a softer tone, "but I know what you mean. However, I will not allow you to go alone."

    His gaze turned to those he addressed next.

 "Glenn, Lai. You go with him."

 "Yes my liege," the two replied, something in their voices saying that they had expected it – or hoped.

    The king gave Schala a brief smile as she placed her hand on her brother's shoulder again.

 "You and Sir Cered are not within my jurisdiction," he said, glancing downwards for a moment, "and neither is Molor."

 "Worry not, Your Majesty," Schala nodded, "I have no plans of staying out of this battle."

    She turned her head to look at Cered, who grimly nodded.

    Molor didn't even bother to reply.

 "Then I can allow you to leave, Janus," king Guardia decreed.

 "Yes, my liege," the wizard numbly said, finding no place to argue though 'Placing Schala in front of an assassin' was among the things he didn't feel a burning desire to do.

    The king nodded and opened his mouth, but his order to send people away so that plans could be discussed less openly was disrupted by Slash.

 "Excuse me, Your Majesty," the purple Mystic said with a glint of weariness in his eyes, "Skeeza says that she wants a word with your wizard." 

    Frog bristled slightly, though it seemed to be more reflex than anything else. King Guardia hesitated, looking at Janus for this decision. Exchanging glances with Lai and Schala, the wizard finally nodded.

 "Very well," he said, holding out his right hand to Slash.

 "Delighted," the monster dryly commented and grabbed the offer.

    He glanced upwards while Schala's hand slid off her brother's shoulder.

 "Get us out of here," left the purple lips. 

    Janus felt something warm wrap itself around his left ankle half a second before the flashing light of teleportation enveloped the two men. As it flashed away he looked down, already knowing what he'd see.

 'Still need support,' Molor mildly chastised, gracefully letting go of the wizard's leg to curl up on the dark stone floor.

    The wizard's lips twitched slightly, humor-less.

 "That's the wrong magic-user, Slash," Ozzie's voice cut in, acidly.

    Janus looked up, but the king of the Mystics had turned his attention to Molor.

 "And now he's spawning, I see," the toadish beast dryly added.

 "Skeeza's orders, Ozzie," Slash coldly replied, "and don't blame me for that pale reptile, he followed us."

    Molor rose up until his head was at the same level as Janus' and Slash's.

 "Don't tempt me to eat you," he hissed, "it would be a pain for Janus to heal my metabolism."

 "Not only that should you try, I assure you," Slash snarled back, their heads almost clashing as they engaged a glaring contest.

    Janus stepped away from the two, idly rubbing his forehead with two fingers. Ozzie glowered at him, several imps, freelancers and a pair of naganettes suspiciously standing around the floating king and watching the wizard's every move. The room was rather big and lacked windows, but lit candles on the wall and in a somewhat irregular circle on the middle of the floor lit up most things that needed to be seen. It was within the circle that the two warriors and the snake had emerged. Janus walked out of it while Slash and Molor continued to stare angrily at each other. Their personal chemistry didn't really seem to work out.

 "What is it?" the wizard tiredly said, lowering his hand as he stopped just outside of the circle. 

    Ozzie angrily opened his mouth, but his wife's voice came in between.

 "The men are, as usual, idiots."

    Janus turned his head left and raised his eyebrows as he saw the queen of Mystics. Her flight was somewhat insecure, she seemed to stagger slightly through the air. And her right arm was in a sling, the hand limply hanging. Another naganette crawled after her, doing her best to keep the climbing-happy heir of the Mystic throne from crawling into her pink hair. The child hadn't grown much since the wizard had last seen him, and he vaguely recalled his guardians talking about Mystics and their slow aging. It was hardly enough to keep his interest though, as his state of mind still was rather wobbly.

 "What happened?" he asked, trying to get a grip of himself though he clearly heard the weary tone of his voice. 

    Skeeza probably noticed, but she ignored it completely as she stopped beside her husband and spoke.

 "Flea sent us a message, and I got in the way when the ghost assassin relaying it tried to get out," she summed up, "fell down a stair."

 "He told us to go to hell and attacked you!" Ozzie growled.

    The queen rolled her bead eyes.

 "Fine, he did tell us to burn, but I got myself in the way. The poor thing was just trying to leave, get it through your thick skull."

    A bell in the back of Janus' mind started ringing, kicking at the bitter mist that still remained and clouded his thoughts.

 "I don't care!" Ozzie harshly snarled, waving his hands furiously, "Flea is a goddamn traitor!"

    The Mystics muttered among themselves but didn't dare to make an input in the discussion. Janus glanced over his shoulder as he heard sensed that Molor moved, finding that Slash had left the staring contest and now was glaring at the floor with his lips almost pressed to a normal human size.

 'Think,' Molor frowned, 'something wrong. I know too little of them.'

 'Right…'

    Janus fought to mentally slap himself out of the depression that still kept its chilly grip of him. He was better than this and he knew it.

 '… That's it!'

 "Flea was depressed…" he thoughtfully said, breaking through the mist.

 "Eh?"

    The monsters' beady, white, sharp, small and cold eyes turned on him, almost too quickly for people who heard such information about a traitor. The wizard could have sworn that he saw a glint of hope in Ozzie's eyes before they turned colder again after the surprise.

 "He appeared more dead than alive," Janus evaluated, "when I told him that he had won, he seemed close to a breakdown."

 "Suits him right!" the king snarled with a snort.

 "Shut up, Ozzie," Skeeza snapped and turned to Janus, "really now… I'm not sure why Flea doesn't want anything more to do with the rest of us but if he's acting like that there must be something more to this. Not that we know much."

    Her eyes narrowed.

 "Slash reported that he had five assassins with him, is that true?" she demanded.

    Janus rubbed his temple with a sigh at the thought of how lovely the battle would be.

 "Yes… you know of the ghost creature and the mantis, then there was an invisible one, a giant lizard and a werewolf," he reported.

 "Fantastic…" Ozzie growled, rubbing his head.

    His glare at Janus was rather tired this time.

 "Do you realize that he means business now?" the monster asked.

 "What do you mean?" Janus frowned.

 "There has never been more than one assassin at the time before," Slash grimly said, crossing his arms, "we kept telling him to send several at you at the same time, but no, no. He kept turning those who survived back into their original shapes, making a new one for each that failed."

 "Aha."

    The wizard slowly nodded. The information completely failed to surprise him – he had almost guessed as much long ago. It had just been a game to Flea. 

 "But now he really does want to kill me," he concluded.

    He paused, bringing his hand to his face.

 "Or rather, he was attacking queen Leene to make me suffer."

 "Well, you did try to blow him up," Skeeza somewhat dryly said.

    Janus snarled and let his hand fall.

 "I'm going to kill that bastard!"

 "He doesn't choose his targets well if I may say so," Molor commented, his forked tongue dancing. 

 "Killing Flea would be Slash's current task," Skeeza said before her husband even could consider speaking, "but we can't send him off to fight Flea with five assassins."

 "I have allies," Janus shortly said, his hands clenching.

 "That's good, but just to make sure…"

    Slash wished that he could have been swallowed by the floor when his queen set her merciless gaze on him. Molor slapped his own forehead with the tip of his tail. Only Janus was taken by surprise as he had been lost in thought, but he was hardly happy either. 

Everyone that were still left in the royal chamber looked up at the flash of light that reflected in the shards of glass that a servant was assembling from the floor with a broom. He was not the only one to jump.

    Leene was now seated on the bed, the king sitting beside her worriedly. They would have to sleep somewhere else with the window smashed, of course. The room was already rather chilly with the night winds given free entrance through the hole.

 "How did it go?" Schala quickly asked first of all.

    Then she noticed someone and tilted her head slightly in hesitance.

    Frog fought down a groan, but Lai openly smacked her forehead.

 "Don't tell me…" she growled.

 "Yes," Janus said in a tone that suggested that he had already vainly tried to argue against the whole thing, "he's coming with us."

 "And don't you think for one second that I like it," Slash snarled.

 "Don't worry, I think we're in agreement," Lai dryly said.


	43. Flea's troubles

Chapter 11, Not what it seems

"There isn't much to plan," Slash said, raising his hands in an irritated movement, "he knows that we're coming, he'll be ready. We might as well teleport to the island."

 "Not tonight," Schala cut in, placing her hand on the wizard's shoulder with a determined look, "we just came here, we need to rest. Especially Janus."

 "Now, now, I'm not seven anymore…" the little brother said with an almost helpless smile. 

 "She'll keep regarding you as a little kid no matter what happens, as the rest of us probably should as well," Lai snorted with a smirk.

    Slash heavily leaned his back against the back wall, below the broken window. That was as far away from the humans and Molor that he could possibly get. He wasn't scared of them, but he didn't like being among them either.

 "And you are?" he grunted at Schala, the right side of his forehead sporting a frown as if he'd be raising an eyebrow if he'd had any.

 "Schala, Janus' older sister," she replied, causing a small spasm to rip at Slash' left eye though he'd probably guessed that it was something like that, "this is Cered and Molor."

 "This is going to give me a headache…" the Mystic swordmaster muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead.

    Janus was one inch from dropping a comment, but realized that nobody would know what he meant when talking about stupid headaches.

    When he considered it though, now that he had had a handful of minutes to clear his head – and a cold shower of an order from Skeeza to wake him up in the form of Slash's unwanted help – he realized that having that particular headache might have been a great advantage. But he also realized that though he could call his teachers through the dimensions, calling to the other side of death would be a completely different thing. Getting another Flea's advice would without doubt help; but if the spirit wasn't watching what was going on, the wizard knew that he couldn't count on reestablishing contact. He could hardly count on his oldest mirror to step outside, look upwards and shout at the sky's inhabitants to lend a hand to another dimension.

    Pressing the image from his mind he straightened up, trying to get a grip of himself.

 "Alright, jokes aside," he said and looked around, "listen now. There are five assassins, apart from the mantis you all saw, there's a lizard, wolf, ghost creature and an invisible one. And all I know about that is that it seems to have at least four arms."

    He directed the information mainly to his sister and Cered, who hadn't heard it nor seen the beasts before. The two nodded in silence, letting him continue.

 "The thing is that they are all almost invincible when it comes to magic, the best you can hope for is to push them backwards with it and use shields to parry," the wizard went on, "so weapons are needed. I'd rather see you using a bladed staff like I do, Schala, but I don't have a spare one."

 "Don't worry about me, I've had time to practice," the sister assured with a slight smile.

    Janus held back a sigh; he did _not_ want to bring her along. The mere idea of the assassins harming her sent a taste of bile through his throat. But the new, brave glistening in her eyes quite clearly informed him that she would not step back for anything he could possibly say. 

    He was of course worried about Lai too, but in her case he knew of the abilities and trusted them – as with the strength of Molor and Frog. He had little doubt in Cered either. 

 "Fine," he said, avoiding the argument he didn't want to start with Schala, "we can hardly count on them giving us a chance to stick to any plan they can figure out, but we can try."

    Janus looked up at Slash. If they were to be allies, they'd have to try to at least communicate or they'd be stumbling over each other.

 "Any ideas?" the wizard asked, somehow managing to keep his voice neutral.

    The swordsman pursed his mouth at the idea to hold a war-council with humans, but stood up straight to remove his back from the wall.

 "You know them best after all," he somewhat dryly told the wizard, but then nodded, "however, the only thing we can do is decide which one of them whom of us will try to concentrate on. We can safely assume that they will be together, as Flea isn't stupid enough to stay with his idiot one-at-the-time tactics in his situation. That much I will acknowledge him."

    Though he tried to hide it, the bitterness was apparent in Slash's voice as he spoke of the traitor. Part of Janus was hesitantly trying to look closer into the Mystic's obvious distaste for the idea of killing one of their own, and trying to figure out why Flea was acting so strangely. However, a bigger part of him was screaming for revenge for the attack on Leene. 

 "The lizard is as I understand equipped with tough hide," Slash continued, "and though a little slow, the tail and the claws are highly dangerous."

 "Yes, that's it," Janus agreed.

 "How many legs does this one have?" the Mystic asked with a roll of his eyes. 

 "Six."

 "Lovely."

 "I will handle that beast," Frog cut in, folding his arms across his chest.

    Janus hesitated for a moment, considering the offer. Then he nodded.

 "Very well. The invisible one would be the greatest trouble, I believe…"

 "Mine," Molor said without a doubt, his thin tongue tasting the air reassuringly.

    They soon got it down to the grouping Schala-ghost, Cered-wolf, and Lai-backup since she didn't use melee weapons. 

    The mantis and Flea remained.

    Slash and Janus intently watched each other, the air between them almost sparkling. The wizard had with little trouble guessed from the swordsman's badly hidden dislike that the Mystic didn't really want to kill his old friend, but he'd die before he admitted it. 

    As none of them would make a clear offer, Janus stepped up on the middle ground. 

 "Whoever gets close to Flea first," he said, testing.

    Slash gave a dry half-smile.

 "As much as I abhor the lack of precision," he said, "fine."

    Translation: "Deal." 

 "Then we'll attack, when?" the wizard offered further.

    Without hesitating, Slash answered.

 "Sometime early in the morning. Any upper hand we can achieve counts, and Flea has always been a late sleeper. I doubt he'll have changed much in that regard."

 "Fair enough."

    It wasn't without a deal of irritated relief that Slash teleported out after the decision to get ready for battle by sunrise. He was dearly looking forwards to the next sunset.

    King Guardia stood, giving his wife a hand. None of them could claim to have been active in the discussion, but after what had happened earlier that evening it had felt much safer to stay close by the best warriors of the land.

 "I shall stay on guard, my liege," Frog announced, bowing briefly.

 "You will need your sleep, Glenn," queen Leene kindly said, though in a still somewhat hoarse voice.

 "To rest while my heart is worried for thy safety is not possible, I fear," the guardian immovably stated.

    Janus was about to comment on the fact that Flea attacking again hardly was believable due to the "come and get me" taunt, but he realized that the crossbody was a little less than trustworthy. And anyway, he didn't have the energy to argue. 

 "We will spend the night in the healing quarters," king Guardia said, smiling a bit at Frog, "you can sleep in the same room, thus you both guard and rest."

 "As thee wish, Your Majesty," the knight accepted. 

 "I will stay on guard as well, my liege," Janus said, making a somewhat sluggish salute. 

    He was regarded by all for a moment.

 "Isn't it just South you salute to?" Lai somewhat gently said and grabbed his arm, "come now you big baby, you're going to sleep or I'll get you drunk."

    Schala froze as she reached for her brother's other arm, giving Lai an incredulous look.

 "Drunk?" the princess repeated, "_Janus_?"

 "Wouldn't be the first time!" Lai smirked, ignoring her fiancé's groan.

 "As fair as their looks appear to the eye, I am beginning to believe that women's souls are darker than a man can ever perceive…" Cered murmured to Molor and Frog, who happened to be closest. 

    He got an amused hiss from the snake and a brief, warning headshake from the amphibian. Then he got to feel that Lai had heard him, via a slap to the head.  

The humans were trying to put up a brave face in the castle, but they couldn't really fight back the grim shadow hanging above them all. This battle didn't promise to get easy. 

    Slash and his clansmen were less secretive.

 "Why, Skeeza!?" the swordsman exploded as he returned to the fortress, unable to contain his irritation any more, "isn't it enough that I have to kill Flea, what have I done to earn your wrath?!"

    Suicide like arguing with his queen was normally not part of his disciplined mind, but he had built frustration for a few days and had enough. 

    Despite the time that had passed since his second disappearance, the other Mystics hadn't moved away from the magical circle of candles but patiently waited for their general to return. 

 "We need to keep an eye on those hot-heads," Skeeza calmly replied as Slash stepped out of the teleportation area.

 "When they're doing _our work_-"

 "Look me in the eyes and tell me you want Flea dead!"

    Slash opened his mouth but the words were stuck in his throat. Skeeza whirled to her husband as fast as her condition allowed. 

 "That goes for you too!"

 "Skeeza!" Ozzie snarled, but his grimace was constricted of hesitance.

 "Admit it already!" the queen snapped, "damn, you're all idiots! _Idiots_!"

 "How can we forgive him for attacking you and Leene?" the king roared, the smaller monsters scooting away from him in shock.

 "For the last time, Ozzie…"

 "Fine! But he attacked Leene in front of half the castle, we could have gotten the war started again for that!"

    Before Skeeza could retort, her husband pressed a hand against his face and shook his head.

 "By Lizard, I know you're right, but he can't come back now. He could have before, but now he's gotten himself too far within Lardon's dungeon! Himself and his pets!"

 "But why is he doing this, and why now?" Skeeza snarled, but it was in a much softer tone than before, "he's been gone for a year and never made a sound, never let us know he was still alive!"

 "Lardon take me if I know…"

 "There is no way that I can save Flea, if that was your plan, Skeeza," Slash darkly said and crossed his arms, "I'd have to fight off those berserking humans and the snake. Janus and the amphibian wants to drink Flea's blood after the assault on Leene, and Lai is no better. Don't get me started on the others."

    Skeeza sighed, shaking her head.

 "You must understand that I am sorry, Slash, but you're our only hope. And Flea's, too."

    At that, the swordsman just sighed. Deeply.

 "_Arrgh_!"

    Lightning bolts tore through the dark air, illuminating every last crack in the walls of the huge cave. The whips of electricity exploded as soon as they happened to touch each other, raining embers over the area. 

    The assassins nervously huddled together in a corner, or as cornerish as was possible since the area was rather rounded.

    Flea's hands fell and he staggered backwards, shaking his head. The power of rage was draining, which allowed him to realize that wasting his powers would do him more harm than good, especially since it didn't even manage to ease the tight knot that was his mind. 

    His ragged breathing was the only sound heard apart from the distant whispering of the waves and the wind in the trees far above the cave. The darkness engulfed everything after the bright light had been extinguished.

    Clutching his throat, Flea pressed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. It took him several seconds to realize that it came from the wounds on his lips, born from his frantic chewing on the soft flesh.

    He spat in disgust, trying to wipe his mouth with the back of a hand. It didn't help, but he wasn't sure if it was just his mind playing tricks on him. To top it off, pain shot through his jaw as he touched the torn lower lip. 

    Trying to calm his ripped nerves enough to remember how to heal, the magician turned around and heavily leaned his right hand against the wall he had been standing by. As far back in the cave as possible. He felt somewhat safer there. 

    But his head refused to stop spinning, and after a few moments he gave up trying to organize it. He knew it would explode again at any given chance, and he was giving himself lots of thoughts useful for lighting the fuse. The taste of blood wasn't helping. 

    As he opened his eyes and looked up at the cave around him, he involuntarily shuddered. The empty space spread out above him, the dark ceiling and walls rising like demon's wings in their enormity. The hole high up there, the only source of light, seemed to be a coldly glowing eye that searched for a victim. And Flea felt very, very small. 

    Somehow, he never managed to figure out how, his close to hysterical brain remembered how to teleport. With a weak shriek the magician fled in a blast of light, reappearing in one of the much smaller caverns which connected to the main one via the tunnel to the surface. This one was the one he had been sleeping in lately; a heap of soft spruce twigs with a blanket covering them laid on the floor. But Flea wouldn't sleep, he couldn't sleep.

    Punching the far back wall in a desperate attempt to satisfy the devouring whirlwind in his soul he only managed to draw more blood from his skin, tearing up his fingers and muscles.

    More blood, more blood, wouldn't there be enough tomorrow? Or tonight? They'd come for him, soon, soon…

    He could make peace with the mental picture of a pair of flaming red eyes that burned with hatred, and the heavy, gleaming Masamune. But the knowledge that the Slasher was calling for his blood hammered at Flea's writhing mind.

 'Why him, why Slash, why them, how could… I didn't mean…' 

    Guardia was his born enemy, the kingdom and all its servants. But when his own people turned on him once more, Flea shattered.  

    He jumped as he heard a soft sound, but relaxed back in the tensed state from before as he recognized the gentle steps.

 "Leave me alone!" he croaked and tried to push the furry paw off his shoulder.

 "I don't think that being alone is what you need, Flea," the wolf beast carefully said in her snarling voice.

    Flea wanted to reply, but he couldn't.

    One by one the assassins sneaked in, even the ghost that had managed to mess up so completely in the Mystics castle. And eventually they got their master to sleep, tightly curled up with his guardians resting around him.


	44. Attempts at diplomacy

Chapter 12, Flea's fury

Not long after sunrise, Kada's ears twitched and her golden eyes shot open a moment later. 

    Teleport magic!

    Flea just muttered something and wrapped his graying robes tighter around him, sleeping too deeply to have noticed the disturbance. 

    But the other four assassins stirred. However, their agitated growling was cut short as Kada landed her paw on Syreth's sharp mouth. The mantis' black eyes ogled her in surprise, but accepted being silent at the wolf's warning wave. 

    With a quick glance around, Kada pressed her free paw against her snout in a silencing sign and then pointed upwards. Her friends skeptically watched her, but she shook her head. Hesitantly, they let her go as she stood up without a sound and sneaked out.

    The werewolf creature slipped up the tunnel outside, starting to run as fast as her transformed body was able to as soon as she could. And she was quite happy that her new form allowed her far greater speed than her normal "sorcerer" body would have been able to offer.

    Ah yes, she was a sorcerer, but it was more an assembling name for her sort and cared very little for details such as true sex.

    She was fast, but the tunnel still seemed far too long to her. After what in her view appeared as several long, precious minutes she finally reached the stair and the horizontal door that lead up to the ground. Knowing that the hinges were questionable she opened it with as much care as she dared to, afraid of wasting more time. And praying to Magician that she wouldn't be met with a blade as she got out. 

    It seemed that her wish was heeded as she glanced out through the first small crack and saw nothing. Opening the door further she crawled outside and closed the opening behind her. Quickly she straightened up and spread her long ears, with her eyes scanning the crumbling, overgrown remains of the castle walls around her and trying to determine where the intruders were.  

    The wind decided to be on her side and carry the distant voices to her sharp ears from the east, though the speaking ones cautiously talked as quietly as possible.

 "… Was in a hurry, my mind is rather blurred."

 "It's here somewhere… harder to tell when everything's ruined."

    Kada's lips twitched a little in a dry, humorless smile as she heard the acid tone of Slash's mutterings. She silently moved towards the sound, making sure that there were remnants of walls between her and the intruders.

 "'Twas nothing but a fault of thy own!" the frog's voice hissed.

 "No, your wizard and his teachers were the ones summoning the earthquake if I recall correctly!" the Mystic snarled back while looking around, surely for the entrance door to the underground tunnel.

 "To preserve their comrades and him, if I may add!"

 "I believed that causing earthquakes were beyond human capabilities," a hissing voice calmly intervened.

    Kada peeked though a small crack in a wall to see the magician hunters. She blinked at their numbers, and especially at the pure white snake. That hadn't been a part of the equation…

    A blue-haired woman looked at Janus just then, frowning. Not only did their hair have the same color; even though Kada didn't look too close she noticed that they had similar features. That the woman also carried a battle staff didn't make a wider difference. 

    Janus didn't even return her gaze, but hid his wince by turning his head as if searching for the entrance.

 "We'll talk about that later…" he muttered.  

    Kada didn't bother to wait. They were a bit distracted by their argument right then, but soon they'd be completely focused again. She took in a deep breath.

    And stepped aside, into sight.

 "Look out!" the first one to spot her hissed, a young human male with red hair reminding mostly of a bush held up by a headband. 

    A pair of thin swords flashed into his hands from his back, and his weapons weren't the last to be drawn. Kada quickly raised her paws, taking a step back before the six intruders had come to the decision to attack her.

    It was easier to think now. The first time she had seen the royal wizard in her new body, the only thing her brain had been able to conjure was a mantra going "killkillkillkillkillkillkill!", but now after the adjustments Flea had made since he had left the Mystics she was able to control herself. 

 "Hold up!" she harshly snarled, trying not to show all her teeth in order to seem a little less intimidating, "I'm alone!"  

    They hesitated, but didn't seem too happy to do so. Distrustful eyes watched her as she let her hairy arms slowly fall.

 "Listen to me," she said, unable to keep her voice from growling.

 "What do you want?" Slash coldly demanded, "where is Flea?"

    Kada shook her head with a snort. 

 "I know that you won't do it, but I beg of you to leave him be," she said in a low voice.

 "We can't do that," Janus said, his words laced with ice.

 "No surprise."

    The werewolf held up her right paw.

 "At least listen."

 "Make it quick, furball," Lai snapped, her fingers drumming against her belt of daggers.

    Kada forced herself to ignore the insult, grunting to swallow the frustration. She knew it was hopeless as she already had stated, but besides fighting there was nothing else she could do. It could be the only hope, if the traps failed they'd… not even if they worked it would help, not in the long run. If this troop failed then two armies would be next, sent by even further enraged kings. Flea knew that too, but he had appeared more afraid of this assault.

 "Flea didn't want to betray the Mystics," the werewolf said, knowing her master probably would make her a necklace of her own fangs if he knew what she was doing, "what happened to Skeeza was a mistake on Gyde's, the specter's, part and he would answer for it if allowed."

 "'Tis the shadow of queen Leene's blood on Flea's hands which call us to battle!" Frog snarled, changing his grip of the Masamune warningly.

    Slash glared briefly at the green general, but let it slide for the moment. 

    Kada held back a wish to sigh.

 "Flea loves the Mystics, but he has been angry with you for a long time," she said, watching the monster of the troop as a new frown appeared on his forehead, "he didn't trust you anymore. He knew it was a mistake to attack the human general and the new wizard when they fell into his reach, but his hatred for Janus made him ignore it. But as he sent Gyde to relay a message to the Mystics, it was more an attempt to let you know he was alive so that you could stop him before he lost control though he probably didn't understand that himself."

    Well, that sounded _really_ sensible. She quickly went on to avoid comments; they all looked highly skeptical but at least they were listening for whatever it was worth. 

 "But when Gyde accidentally hurt Skeeza, Flea knew who was going to get the blame. He never admitted that he wanted to return, he was too proud. But it was still a hope, that died when Gyde returned and had to tell what had happened. There was nothing left for him then, apart from the blame he placed on Janus."

 "He could have returned before and we wouldn't have turned him away, but it's a bit too late now indeed," Slash growled through his teeth, "he got himself into this mess and he will pay for it!"

    He paused, the frown growing deeper.

 "But answer me this, why was he mad at us, why _didn't_ he return?"

 "It was whe-"

    But Kada was cut off by a shriek and a blurred vision of pink and gray-white, which dove at her from her right. The walls had hidden Flea until then, and now as the werewolf stumbled aside he set off a teleportation spell to bring both of them away from the intruders.

 "Damn it!"

    Slash was on the other side of the wall almost sooner than anyone else had managed to take a single step. But it was too late of course, the spell had worked long before even the swordsman could arrive.

 "Bring us in, Janus!" the monster called, furiously slapping at one last wisp of magic light. 

 "What of traps?" Lai warned while she passed through the opening where Kada had stood, following the first wizard of Guardia.

    Frog just leapt over the broken wall though it was three times his height.

 "He seemed a little too distraught to… argh!"

    Slash's voice turned into a wordless growl and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

 "I don't care even if he's been eating glowing mushrooms and decides to blame that!" he snarled under his breath, more to himself than anything else. 

    Janus, who had been moving his hand back and forth above the ground to ensure the teleportation track, heard the monster but pretended not to. He was himself doing his best to ignore the hesitant voice in the back of his head. It was irritating, but too weak. He was angry.

 "Hold up, are you sure about this?"

    Schala's words brought him out of his thoughts. She stood in the opening between the two walls, leaning slightly on her staff with a concerned look in her eyes while Molor silently slithered past her feet like a river of pearls. 

    Slash refused to turn around to look at her.

 "I've been fighting Flea since I arrived here, Schala," Janus said, fighting not to let his frustration at the pecking hesitance show as he spoke to his sister, "he's caused nothing but grief. He went too far when he attacked my friends and the queen, I _cannot_ forgive him for that."

    Schala looked aside at Frog, who grimly shook his head. The one who had cursed him and helped murder Cyrus, tortured his other friend and tried to murder his liege deserved no mercy in the knight's eyes. And had never done so. Peace with the Mystics had never quite fitted into Glenn's bitter soul. 

    Lai pursed her mouth, similar thoughts apparent in her mind.

    The princess of Zeal looked back at her brother, who's ruby eyes were set on her intently. For a moment he looked at Cered however. It appeared that he did not feel a need to question the snake.

 "If you…"

    Cered shook his head, cutting off the wizard's words.

 "I shall come with thee, worry not."

 "As will I," Schala said and folded her left hand around the staff as well, "I rather wondered if _you_ would."

 "There is no choice here, not for us," Janus said, shaking his head.

    He straightened up.

 "I'm teleporting then, so prepare yourself. Ready?"

    As he had received the simple nods as answers, he raised his staff and reached out his mind for the magical footprints that Flea and the werewolf's escape had left behind. In a flash, the six left the island's surface. 

    The dusk of the huge cavern was hardly silent. Because Flea was shouting at the cowering wolf, the other visible assassins standing a bit to their master's left, apparently unsure what to do.

 "… can just write my memoirs while I'm rotting in my grave you hairy basta-"

    Flea spun leftwards, at the light flashing around the intruders. Light reflected in the blades that hungered for his flesh.

    The assassins were between him and the invaders before the skipped heartbeat had passed. 

    For a moment the two sides just stared at each other. 

    The thunk and the zipping sound as Janus released the metal hidden in his staff echoed through the cave hall.

    Slash's left arm slammed into the wizard's chest and sent him half a step backwards. But he had almost expected the restraining demand.

 "Why were you angry with us, enough to stay in hiding, Flea?" the swordsman questioned, in a dark voice. 

    The werewolf pinched her eyes closed as she felt the burning gaze at her neck. But it moved away, nailing itself onto the purple general. 

 "I think I had fully valid reasons, Slash," Flea spoke in the same dead voice as he had used in Guardia castle.

 "Humor me, because I see none."

    At those words, rage flared up in the magician's rose quarts eyes and his face turned into a grimacing mask of fury. 

 "How dare you, how can you?!"

    His voice even drowned the hissing and growling of the assassins, dark lightning bolts crawling around his fingers.

    Simultaneously, Schala and Janus threw up a magic shield to fight back the explosion of power that appeared guaranteed, but a head-on attack was not what they should have prepared for. The real assault was silent until it hit. 

 "What the hell?!" Lai shrieked, each syllable more distant than the last.  

    Her friends and Slash spun around in time to see her fly upwards, pulled by the black threads that encircled her arms and waist. The fire flowing from her hands did little more than illuminate the huge black spider web she was ripped into high up there. Her cussing was cut off as the threads crawled over her face to cover the angry lips. It didn't stop her from continuing to struggle, of course. 

 "Let her do_ouff_!"

    Janus' staff hit the floor and so did he, with the full weight of the invisible assassin pinning him down. As he was on his stomach he had few means to fight back but the well-hidden beast sprung away quickly as several weapons and fangs blindly aimed for him. The wizard rolled over and stood almost in the same moment, holding out his hand for his staff…

    Just in time to hear Glenn shout in rage and surprise.

    The Masamune was torn out of the knight's hands by the same kind of threads that had captured Lai moments earlier, and which now encircled the green warrior as well. He was placed on his companion's right side, several feet away from her however. His sword was left hanging below him. 

    The assassins drew closer as the remaining warriors turned towards Flea again, the intruders' eyes shifting suspiciously all the while however. Diverted attention would not win them any favors and they knew it, but it was hard to focus on one danger only.

    This would normally be a scene where Flea laughed or at least smirked, but what could be seen of him over the ghost's shoulder only showed the same bitter fury from before.

 "Cered!" Molor called in alarm, giving his friend a chance to throw himself aside.

    The threads barely missed the man from Garadia, Schala stumbling in the other direction to get away from the hundreds of thin ropes. Janus grabbed her shoulder as she came within reach, pulling her up behind him for whatever good that would do. Swinging his staff at the threads proved to little surprise useless; they were just thrown aside but then shot after Cered again.

    Molor got himself in the way, hissing wildly and rising up until he almost stood on the tip of his tail. Now that was a sight that even got the mantis backing a couple of steps. The red-haired warrior got to his feet behind the snake, cautiously holding his katanas ready even if he had a feeling they'd help very little.

 "Laohn sha nebal!" Schala called, sending one of her glowing half moons through the air.

    It hit the threads, and though the crescent didn't catch all it nailed a bunch of them to the ground as it buried itself in the stone.

    Flea's eyes thinned.

 "You'll have to teach me that," Janus muttered with a moment's small, grim smile.

    Schala's returned smile was cut short as she felt something around her waist. Threads had slithered over the floor, unseen.

 "Oh no…"

    She was ripped backwards, desperately reaching for her brother as another few ropes tore the staff out of her grip.

 "Schala!" 

    Janus dove forwards, stretching his right hand after his sister's twitching fingers. Vaguely, he felt Molor hit the ground and shoot forwards as fast as he could, carelessly running over the twitching, caught threads. Those that were still free tried to catch him but he tore himself free and continued, Cered dashing forwards by his side. But even as they moved, Schala was pulled out of Janus' reach though their fingers briefly touched.

 "Look out, you idiots!" Slash shouted.

    He slapped his own forehead with a groan as Cered's protesting shout pierced the air half a second later. 

 'This is what I get for teaming up with humans. Thank you so much Skeeza, I swear that I will haunt you.'

    With a hiss Molor threw himself after Cered. Which Flea seemed to have counted correctly on. Janus rushed towards his violently twisting friend as even the snake got caught by several bunches of threads, but the lizard swept up in the human's way and he was forced to leap backwards to avoid the whipping tail. Even as he did, the wizard saw the other visible assassins dash forwards and around until the last two remaining intruders were surrounded. According to the moving sand on the ground, the invisible one was filling the hole to Slash's left. 

    Janus caught the swordsman's mildly said vexed gaze, the crimson eyes not very joyful either.

    Brave last stand, hm?

    Great.

 "Well, you know Janus, it's kind of funny," Slash dryly said as the man and monster backed up against each other cautiously, "ever since I saw you the first time I have wanted to see you die, I just didn't expect us to go together."

    The wizard didn't bother to answer, his eyes darting between glares and pained glances as they switched from the assassins to his hanging family and friends.

 "Who wants the honor?" Flea coldly said.

    Where glee and scorn would have been proper was only chilly rage, as it had been for a long time now. Perhaps there was still something that could help…

 "Answer my question, Flea!" Slash growled, knowing he was probably asking for it but seeing no other hope but pushing his luck, "why did you leave?!"

    Flea's already pale face whitened even further in fury.

 "You… have… some… nerve…!" he hissed through his teeth, hardly moving his lips at all.

 "No, I really don't understand!" the swordsman snarled, trying to keep track of the assassins and their master at the same time.

 "Stop pretending to be stupid!"

    Flea was shivering with anger now, his fists clenched so hard that the fingers almost broke. 

 "You sold me off you bastard! You and all the others!" he screamed on top of his lungs, the words nearly incomprehensible by the force of his voice.

 "_What_?" Slash and Janus said almost simultaneously, brought slightly off balance by the accusation.

    The magician took half a step backwards, trying to catch his breath. In a calmer voice, though it was colder than ice and the eyes was petrifying with hatred, he spoke again.

 "I knew Janus was probably stronger than me," he hissed, "but one of the reasons I still dared to fight him was that I believed that if I failed, somebody would still avenge me."

 "Oh hell…" the wizard murmured as the realization hit him.

 "But as I woke up, hidden," Flea went on, seething, "all I see is you and a group of warriors calmly, without a scratch, talking peace with the man who you thought killed me."

    Slash shook his head, trying to make sense of the idiocy of it all.

 "We were loosing, damn you!" he finally called out in frustration, "all of us were on our knees when Janus suddenly decided to be friendly and healed us to…"

 "Shut up!" Flea shouted, "I don't care about your half-assed excuses!"

    The assassins drew closer, growling.

 "Didn't you see anything of it?" Janus snarled at the werewolf as she bared her claws.

 "No! Traitor!" the mantis hissed, slashing the air a couple of yards from Slash.

    And the wolf shook her head, growling. The time for diplomacy had run out, all that was left was battle to the death.


	45. Outnumbered in all directions

Chapter 13, Turncoat allies

Janus clenched his jaw tightly, the grip of his staff whitening. One would have at least thought that the wolf would have offered help since she had tried diplomacy earlier, but it seemed like the only thing on her mind was to help her master. 

    Glaring at Flea and then throwing another desperate glance upwards at the prisoners, the wizard's eyes thinned.

 'Slash,' he whispered with his mind, 'I have an idea.'

    He paused and elaborated for less than a second.

 'Well,' he added, bitterly, 'a theory...'

 'I think I liked the first name better,' Slash said with little trust, 'theories are not for battle, that's knowledge.'

 'But I _always_ use theories; I never have time for anything solid,' Janus said with sardonic, humorless humor.

    Slash mentally sighed, very deeply.

 'Fine whatever,' he mentally growled, 'I have no suggestions. Get us out of here with your theory.'

 'I'll do my best. But it'll be mostly up to you to make it work.'

 'Suddenly I feel that I understand why the amphibian smashed your face after the treaty.'

    Janus held back a wish to grimace. But he didn't have time, the assassins were slowly moving closer, cautiously still but preparing for the attack. 

 'Alright. We need to get Ozzie here to make my theory work,' he grimly said.

    Slash threw a brief glance over his shoulder. 

 'How in the blazes would that fix anything?' the Mystic questioned. 

 'I'll explain, but we need him to get here. Any idea how?'

 '... I swear, I'll see you die,' the swordsman snarled, frustrated, 'fine, I'll try.'

 "If you want a showdown Flea, then we're not doing it right!" he called aloud.

    A red eyebrow went up.

 "And just what do you mean with that?" Flea snapped.

 "If you blame me for letting you down, you should blame Ozzie as well."

 "Hah."

    Flea looked almost amused as he shifted his gaze to Janus.

 "And what are you pulling this time, wizard?" he asked straight out.

 "Why do you always blame me, it's the Mystic's code of honor as far as I know," the human warrior defended himself, trying to sound clueless through the tension.

 "Sure."

 'Friend, this plan?' Molor sent with deep worry, though the net that wrapped itself around him almost blocked even his link to Janus.

 'Try not to worry, but I have no other ideas...' Janus whispered back, clenching his jaw even further, 'I'll get us out of this, I swear.'

 'I hope. Insane...'

 'Know.'

    Janus gritted his teeth.

 'God, if I live tomorrow I'll hate myself in the morning...' he thought to himself. 

 "Are we doing this like we should or not?" Slash demanded.

    Flea smirked, but it lacked all spirit. He looked as deeply indifferent as he sounded.

 "Oh whatever," he said and waved a bit with his hand, "go get him if you want, Janus. I don't expect you to run away."

 "I said I wasn't..."

 "Do I have any bloody reason at all to believe you? Get him before I change my mind."

    The wizard glanced up at his allies, who all stared back as well as they could from their positions.

 'I'm sorry...'

    He pinched his eyes shut and murmured the needed spell, disappearing in a flash of light. Seconds later he returned, with a very angered green monster.

 "... Can't do... damn!" Ozzie snarled, glaring at the assassins and their coldly watching leader.

 "This is about us four, Flea," Janus growled, ignoring the king of the Mystics completely, "leave them – " he pointed at the prisoners " – and those out of it."

    At the last part of his speech he motioned at the assassins.

 'Listen you two, we only have one chance!' he hissed to Slash and Ozzie in the meantime, 'and you'll have to help me, alright? Ozzie, Flea thinks that...'

    Flea gave another joyless snicker.

 "Three against one is unfair, don't you think?" he pointed out.

 "So is six against three," the wizard said aloud, even as he spoke finishing the brief explanation of Flea's misunderstanding.

 'Oh for Lizard's blood…' the king of Mystics growled.

 'He won't listen to us!' Slash snapped, 'bloody fool, he… whatever, what's the plan already?!'

 "I don't give a flying damn, Janus," Flea said, unaware of the silent, rushed conversation.

 'It's rather simple,' the wizard said, his thoughts turning into a hiss, 'this is what we'll do…'

    It took only half a second to convey the gist of the plan, and Flea thankfully didn't catch that his two former companions were doing their best not to blink or glare rather stupidly at Janus. The human clenched his teeth hard enough for the jaw to nearly break.

 'Understand?' he thought.

 'I strongly believe you are to be labeled insane, human,' Slash stated, however the harshness in his voice had been colored by a faint snicker, 'though I admit it might actually work.'

 'Don't think I enjoy teaming up with you two,' Janus growled, 'but it seems I've got no other options.'

    At this, the pair of Mystics could hardly contain their amusement, despite the situation. 

 'Oh, but don't worry, Janus,' Ozzie said in a somewhat neutral voice, 'we'll watch your back.'

    The wizard held back a dear wish to shake his head.

 'I'm going to regret this...'

 'Serves you right for dragging me into this mess,' Ozzie smirked.

    The wizard clenched his teeth and thought the words he never had believed he would have to tell these two monsters. But to save Schala, Lai and the others, it was a sacrifice he was prepared to make.

 'Very well, it's up to you then. I'm counting on you.'

 'Oh, certainly,' Ozzie said. 

    Janus chose not to comment. 

    The silent conversation had barely taken a moment, led by thoughts as it was.

    And there was no turning back now.

    Without another word the wizard vanished from view and appeared behind the wolf-demon. The monster ducked for the staff with perfectly trained reflexes, but it wasn't prepared to find Slash at it's throat in the middle of its movement. A well planned slam of insanely strong, condensed wind sent the lizard flying on Ozzie's command as it tried to attack. The wizard rendered the wolf unconscious with the help from Slash's distraction and tackled the ghost which tried to get a grip of the swordsman.

    All the while Flea watched in silence, indifferent.

    Janus took a blow from the back from the invisible creature and it apparently got his arm since he furiously tried to break free from thin air while the mantis rushed at him. The insect got slammed off course and onto the ground by an ice block, and Ozzie smirked a bit.  

    However the magic could only push away, not hurt.

 'They like this too damn much...' Janus grimly thought as he fought to free his arm.

    The bad feeling of future regret was growing, but he was as cornered as ever. 

    Finally he scored a hit even if he couldn't see his foe, and he managed to tear himself free.

 'Hang on, everyone...'

    Not that they had much of a choice.

 'Now, how to fight something that I can't see?' he thought, eyes narrowed as he tried to keep focusing on the empty space that he thought was occupied.

    It wasn't the first time he'd "faced" an invisible assassin, but the circumstances were less than exceptional. The otherwise helpful dust on the floor had already been thrown around due to the battle, and he couldn't fully concentrate with the sound of the other assassins behind him.

 'Bloody screw this!' he thought despite himself, spun around and seemingly blindly charged at the lizard.

    Afterwards nobody really could tell how it happened. One moment the creature was standing up on his hind legs to claw at Janus who raised his staff, in the next second the transformed goblin hit the deck due to a slam from behind. Janus didn't even stop, hardly touching the floor with his burning eyes set on the target.

    Finally Flea reacted, with a hiss tearing up his hands to protect himself. The wizard ducked for the magical bolts of electricity and sent the staff whirling through the air. With a shriek of mixed anger and shock the magician threw himself out of the way for the uncontrollable weapon and hit the floor. He rolled over on his back and was halfway into a sitting position when his eyes locked on Janus' gaze that was moving closer at the speed of lightning. The wizard's hands were stretched out in front of him and his teeth bared in a raging growl.

    The magician threw up his hand in front of his face, trying to call upon a spell before the impact...

    Through the fingers he saw Janus' head-on flight suddenly change direction to the sound of a surprised and pained shout. A flashing light from aside also added to the rather shocking effect.

    The prisoners up by the ceiling froze in shock, their frail hope once and for all broken by one single blow.

    Unceremoniously the wizard crashed on the hard ground several yards from Flea, the magical impact not simply stopping his dash. Snarling and clutching his burnt side he got up and stared with eyes filled with hatred in the same direction as Flea glared, dumbfounded.

    Ozzie held up his stretched pointing finger and smugly let out a flow of breath on it, though there was no heat left.


	46. Wizard vs the trio

Aye, the updates have been frequent lately, no? Two reasons, I had a lot of the latest stuff written down a while ago, just needed to bring the rest of the story there. Second, I have tendency to hit writer's block when I'm about one page away from finishing a story, so updating quickly is a way of trying to force myself away from that tendency. 

And you get another cliffhanger because I love you all, and I'm evil. MUHAHAHAHA!! This isn't the most evil thing I'll do in this story though, just wait for the epilogue. I recommend you write your wills while you wait for it… *cackles*

Chapter 14, Final battle

"You damn bastard..." Janus growled, getting to his feet with narrowed eyes.       

 "Face the simple facts, wizard," Slash said and sheathed the Slasher in front of the stupidly blinking ghost, whom like everyone else was looking at Ozzie in stronger or weaker surprise, "it was only a question of time until your 'theories' would eventually fail you."

 "I knew better, I really cachore did..."

    Janus held out his hand and the staff leaped into his grip, almost creaking under his whitening fingers. It took a good deal of control not to glance upwards again; he didn't want to see Schala and Lai's eyes.

    With a smirk Slash quickly passed the hesitant assassins who didn't know who to fight anymore. He reached Flea, who glared up at him with nothing but remaining anger. The bald monster was about to speak when Janus charged with a roar, and the Slasher cleaved the air as the swordsman leaped out of the way. The wizard furiously followed him, but the man suddenly stumbled and almost hit the floor again. In his rage Janus hadn't seen the lizard, who finally had managed to catch a leg with his tail. 

    Somehow Lai's fiancé managed to keep his balance while Slash danced further out of reach. But before the wizard had time to fully get control again the staff was ripped out of his grip and his arms were torn backwards. He growled in fury and pain as they were locked against his back by invisible hands.

    Trapped.  

    Slash snickered and calmly walked back towards his placement before the attack.

 "Come on now, Flea," the swordsman said with a scornful glance at the struggling Janus, "use your head. Did you really think that we'd choose him over you?"

 "Yes," the magician coldly said, "'you're under arrest for treason' didn't leave me much of a doubt."

 "If you're talking about the episode in the castle, I sent Slash to get you out of trouble," Ozzie said as he too approached, "the treason thing was just something he would use in an emergency to retain the peace since we cannot have another war."

 "And why the hell would I believe you _now_?" the magician snapped.

    Ozzie smirked.

 "Flea, my friend," he said and crossed his arms, "Skeeza has been pounding all of us to understand the fact that it was an accident. And she should have noticed."

    He met the cold, distrustful eyes and glanced aside. Janus' teeth showed and his breath came out ragged due to his fury, but he couldn't do anything. Magic couldn't get him out of the assassin's grip and he was locked in a position where strength was neutralized as well.

    Looking back at Flea, Ozzie let his own – sharp – teeth show.

 "Still don't believe me, do you?" he asked.

 "Not exactly," the magician sourly said and stood, without brushing himself off.

 "Oh, let's see then," the king of Mystics said with a snicker, rubbing his chin, "to harm the queen is treason, indeed. I suppose not even you can pass without some kind of punishment."

 "There we are," Flea snapped and turned away.

 "About three quarters of a year in exile sounds pretty good to me. What do you say, Slash?" 

    The swordsman chuckled.

 "Fair enough. And it seems to have expired right about now, as well."

    Flea looked around and glared at the two monsters.

 "Don't come here and try to feed me that crap," he heatedly stated.

 "We're not toying with you, Flea," Slash said almost softly, "you are not our enemy."

 "Right."

    There was no trust in the magician's voice, nor in his eyes.

 "We didn't make peace with the humans back there because we wanted to, but it was pretty obvious that we were on the verge of our powers," the swordsman said, unfazed, "you know that as well."

 "You took the first bloody chance offered without even trying!" Flea heatedly accused, "no attempts to make him pay!"

    He waved in Janus' general direction; the wizard hadn't moved. For some odd reason.

 "How much did you see really?" Ozzie asked with a frown.

 "Enough! You couldn't take a beating and just bowed to Skeeza. And her little 'it's tragic that Flea died, woe art us' speech made me sick."

    Slash and Ozzie exchanged brief glances, then looked back at Flea. And they took him completely on surprise when smiling.

 "Back then she said that you wanted it so, didn't you hear that?" Slash pointed out, "anyone of us would have stopped you from fighting Janus alone if we had believed you'd listen. You'd do the same now if you could, wouldn't you?"

 "No, I would not," Flea snapped, "I have nothing left to prove."

 "Ah."

    Ozzie's lips stretched again, but his teeth didn't show. Reaching out, he quickly moved his hand around in thin air, as if painting several circles. And something was drawn with a sickly reddish light, acquiring proper form as the fat green hand grabbed it.

    Flea blinked, but his arm automatically swung up and the fingers grasped the slender material as the green monster tossed the item at him.

 "It's not you who need to prove yourself now," the king said with the remains of the smile starting to turn more bloodthirsty, "but you'll need that."

 "What the hell are you pulling?" Flea snapped, his skilled hands hesitantly taking the whip in a better grip.

    Instead of replying, Ozzie turned to the wizard again. But the monster didn't look at Janus, instead he glared at the air behind the wizard's shoulder. 

 "Let go and stay out of this," Ozzie commanded, with more authority than he'd ever shown in his entire life before. 

    Janus stumbled forwards with a snarl as his arms were freed and quick steps brought up the settled dust from the floor. The assassin withdrew. 

    The staff came back to the wizard's hand, but his eyes never once left the three monsters. 

 "You know, coming here and commanding my last allies isn't going to earn you any favors," Flea icily said, crossing his arms but not letting go of the whip.

 "You damn traitors leave me no choice!" Janus snarled, raising the staff in both hands, "Powers of the World, lend me the power of Lightning!"

    The weapon connected with the floor and lightning bolts erupted from the wizard's chest as he threw out his arms, keeping the wooden pole in his right hand. 

 "Didn't they teach you anything about courtesy in the castle?" Ozzie snarled as he dove out of the way, his voice barely heard over the sharp fizzling. 

    Janus didn't reply, concentrating on keeping the bolts alive. 

    With a snort Flea leaped backwards to avoid getting hit and Slash dashed aside. None of them completely avoided the magic however, even if it was nothing deadly in any case. 

    Not without great effort Ozzie forced his mind off the violently stinging burns on his back and threw his hands in Janus' direction. The wizard perfectly directed a few of his bolts to meet and deflect the attacking fireballs, but in doing so he was forced to divert his focus.

    In the last second he noticed the movement from the corner of the eye and spun around, barely getting a worthy grip of the staff. Before he managed to add his left hand to the hold, the Slasher had almost forced the wizards own weapon straight into his face. Metal dug into wood and Janus threw himself backwards, hearing the swooshing sound of an approaching fireball. The flames brushed by his shoulder as he fell, somehow managing to tear the staff free from the sword in the movement. Slash had to bend away from the magic attack.

 "Watch it!" the swordsman growled.

    Ozzie just snorted and kept his hands raised. As he glanced aside he saw Flea just stand there, watching Janus get to his feet and rush at Slash.

    But the pink fingers twitched, ever so lightly.

    Leaving it, the king of Mystics fixed his eyes on the fighters, trying to predict the swift movements.

 "After all that's happened in the last day I guess I should say something like 'sorry, nothing personal', but, you know…" Slash smirked at the wizard's raging grimace.

    The monster ducked and tried to thrust the Slasher at Janus' momentarily defenseless stomach. But the wizard's elbow came down on Slash's shoulder and brought him off balance, forcing him to half stumble, half roll aside to avoid getting hit.

 "Truly sorry," Janus growled and moved into a defensive stance with the staff ready to parry again.

 "Oh yes, but you'll just have to go for Flea's sake."

    Slash's hand clawed the air and tiny fireballs flew from his fingertips, gaining size as they zoomed forwards. With a snort Janus easily deflected them all by spinning his staff to change their flight.

    Too late he realized it had only been a distracting maneuver. Ice blocks at the size of his head slammed into his back on Ozzie's patiently awaited command and the wizard stumbled with a groan, only keeping his balance by desperately planting the staff in the floor. 

    The dark nets around Lai flared, but she didn't manage to break free no matter how hard she tried. And as she was unable to speak out the spells, the magic didn't have any real power, which surely was why not even Schala's wild attempts to blast herself free didn't help. 

    Throwing her head aside Lai saw Molor's red eyes glowing strangely, staring at nothing.

 'Can you help him!?' she silently screeched, loudly the words being an incoherent mumbling through the dark threads that covered her lips.

 'I'm trying!' the snake hissed back.

    Janus more fell than ducked out of the way of the Slasher again, but this time his right arm got a cut. Wincing he pressed his left hand over the stinging wound, trying to avoid receiving anything worse. 

    Slash's white eyes glistened and he dashed forwards again. Janus leaped aside and backed further away from the swordsman's new position, as the monster advanced.

 "Mhmf!!"

    Frog tried to scream, and he wasn't the only one. For as the wizard moved backwards, he left his back wide open for attacks.

 "Hm…"

    Ozzie glared at his turn-coat general. His own green hands were itching to release another lightning storm, but he was in this fight for the same purpose as Slash.

    Flea's fingers twitched as the staff and Slasher met again, the owners locking hateful glares.

    Slowly the magician's right arm fell, most of the whip streaming over the floor. But the movement was sluggish, lacking all interest.

    Ozzie clenched his teeth. He was risking the peace by fighting Janus again, just to achieve Flea's trust.

 'What more does the damn cross dresser ask for?' 

    Slash held his ground pretty well, but after all Janus had a weapon offering use of full power in a lock such as the combatants'. The bald monster grunted as the wizard snarled and grabbed the staff tighter, twisting it around in order to open for a hit. 

    Growling Slash had to leap backwards, but the wide arch of the staff got the side of his chest and he choked, trying to stumble out of reach. But he was still in the right area for Janus, who swung the staff around in a wide arc. 

    The restrain got him so suddenly that the weapon fell out of his hand and he lost his balance, with a pained wince clawing at the red rope that was wrapped around his upper arm. 

 "About damn time!" Slash grunted, straightening up with a faint smirk.

 "Don't you get any ideas, it was just too tempting," Flea snapped and lightly pulled at his whip, as if to only mark his statement.

    The effect of the small move was quite impressive, however. Janus gave a half strangled, gurgling sound and his hand flew to the right shoulder to violently press at it.

 "Na mat… ala… se…" he rasped.

    There was a disgusting popping sound as he pressed the bone back in place, sweat covering his forehead. Despite the healing magic his arm looked quite stiff as he ripped the whip away and stood, collecting his staff again. And now he held his weapon in the less experienced left hand. 

 "What an end for the wizard, I have to give you as much," Flea said, his lips twitching faintly, "but at least it's not as pitiful as when you were hanging on the wall."

 "Oh gee, thanks a _lot_!" Janus snarled, throwing out his good arm.

    Icicles pierced the air and Flea lashed the whip around, its red glow growing stronger. The ice shattered, only a couple made it past the spin. And both of them only hit the floor. But while the first attack still was in the air, Janus had directed new blasts of ice at the other two monsters, forcing them backwards. 

    Slash had to just try to get out of the way, Ozzie did a pretty good job fighting the ice back with fire.  

 "I think we're nearing a conclusion, wizard," the green monster commented as Janus' hand fell.

    The blue-haired man gritted his teeth, trying not to lean too heavily on his staff.

    Not good… not good at all…

    Forcing his eyes upwards he saw Slash sheath his sword and hold up his hands with the palms turned at the wizard. There was a dangerously sparkling sound in Ozzie's direction.

 "Damn…"

    Clenching his left hand until the staff shivered, he tried to summon his last strength.

 "Powers of the world…"

    Flea had crossed his arms again, silently watching. 

 "… Pure power…"

 "Flea!" Slash called, his palms flashing in a blue light. 

    No reaction.

 "Twandor!" Janus hissed, spreading his fingers.

    A bubble of light formed around him, just as Ozzie and Slash released their magic. Walls of pure magical power, Lighting and Water based, flowed around the globe.

    Janus gripped the staff tightly and closed his eyes, focusing all his will into keeping the wavering shield alive. It shrunk and expanded in a quick pace, beating like the wings of a dying butterfly.

    Lai dared to tear her eyes away and quickly glance at Molor for a second. The snake's eyes were literally flaring. 

 "Give it up, damn you!" Ozzie snarled, his fingers twisting as he forced more power into the magic.

    Janus growled but didn't move, even if the beating of his shield grew more desperate as the walls flowed between blue and yellowish.

    The whip fell to the floor and Flea's hands swept upwards.

 "Nobody…"

    The wizard looked up, eyes widening in pain by the movement.

 "… Kills Janus without me!" the magician snarled. 

    A red wall shot into the shifting one, sliding in two directions upon the meeting. The magic expanded between the three monsters, creating a triangle form with Janus in the middle.

    It flashed in blue, yellow and finally red.

    The staff fell out of Janus hand as the bubble shattered and his feet left the floor, arms spreading by the pressure and his mouth twisting open in a silent scream.

    Lai heard Schala hiss out a whimper, but no sound could leave the younger woman's lips. Not a breath made it through her sandy throat. Not one single thought lived in her petrified mind.

    The triangle flashed in bright white.

    It was gone.

 "… ah…" 

    Janus' fall seemed to go on for eons, and when he hit the floor the dry, dead thump echoed through the cave.

    He didn't move anymore, sprawled on his back like a rag doll.


	47. Be afraid

Of course I'm evil. I love being evil. And you haven't yet seen the height of it, either!

    Actually it's only in writing that I'm really evil, but since things are like that I make sure to make the best of it! *cackles*

Chapter 15, Finale

Schala's neck couldn't support her head and it dropped, Cered helplessly watching her and trying to reach far enough to touch her, give just a tiny drop of comfort to the desert of her torn soul. But the dark nets wouldn't allow it.

    Glancing at Lai with tears craving release in his big, dark eyes, Frog couldn't help but shudder. Her expression was not unreadable. But there was nothing to see. Her gaze was a void. 

    Molor wasn't moving at all, his head bowed. What he felt was shrouded by his cold eyes.

    Small boots clicked against the floor.

    Heads snapped up and finally a growl rose in Lai's throat as Flea bent over the fallen wizard.

 "Heh. Well what do you know…"

    Pink fingertips touched a clammy, pale forehead. Straightening up, the magician put his right fist on his hip and glanced at the others in the room. The wolf assassin watched her master together with the other transformed monsters, leaning on the lizard as she was still dazed.

    Flea smirked slightly and announced the verdict.

 "… The lil' wizard… is still alive."

    The prisoners froze, far from relieved by the news. In Janus' situation that was hardly a blessing, it only meant he was still breathing – in the clutches of the Mystics'.   

 "Well damn, must be getting rusty," Ozzie said, cracking his knuckles.

 "Don't look at me, you know I'm no good with magic," Slash commented with a wave of his hand.

    A strange sound filled the dry air.

    Flea laughed.

    Lai clenched her fists, snarling furiously though the net plastered over her lips wouldn't let her curse the sadist. Her friends shared her opinion, sparkles of energy flying from Schala's new attempts to tear herself free. 

    The Mystics paid no heed to the pathetic hatred of humans and snake.  

 "You two…" Flea chuckled, hiding his lips behind a slender hand, "priceless!"

    Slash and Ozzie exchanged rather puzzled glances.

 "What did we do?" the swordsmaster asked, frowning.

 "Ha!"

    Flea nearly choked with glee, a "hanging" opinion being that him really dying with laughter was hotly desired.

 'How can you laugh?!' Schala silently screamed in anguish.

    Lai's thoughts were not meant for print. 

    But as the other's raged, a creeping suspicion began to grow in Frog's heart, although it was far too twisted to believe. 

    Or so he hoped. 

    It took the magician several seconds to recover from the hysterics, even his assassins eying him strangely.

 "Alright, alright…"

    The final giggles died away and he just snickered. 

 "… I'm fine. Sorry about that, cuties."

    Confusion was replaced with careful relief among the monsters.

 "Are we back on cute terms now?" Ozzie almost mildly asked.

    The magician chuckled, but managed to control himself and just nod.

 "Are you coming home then, Flea?" the king wondered, carefully.

 "Oh I…"

    Flea turned his gaze towards the hesitant assassins.

 "What do you guys say?" their master cheerfully asked.

    For a second they seemed stunned, then profusely and collectively nodded. Well, one could guess that the invisible one also agreed.

 "Fine then," Flea smirked at the king and swordsman.

 "Glad to hear it," Slash said with a slight smile.

 "Ah yes…"

    The pink skinned one looked at the broken body by his feet.

    The humans hissed as a hand went down and Janus was lifted in his collar, hanging motionlessly in the grip of his nemesis.

 "And this poor thing, what in the world shall we do with you?" Flea purred. 

    There was a silence. 

    Finally Ozzie spoke, sighing. 

 "As much as I hate saying it, king Guardia will want to hear a story he can believe, and with his servants dead I doubt he'll trust us."

    Flea looked like he was going to explode with laughter again but managed to restrain himself.

    Frog felt a spasm by his left eye as the suspicion grew stronger.

 "Oh fine, fine…" the magician said and rolled his eyes dramatically, "no more trouble for anyone of us, right?"

 "Sad as it is, I doubt we can take it."

 "I guess I'll have to play along. He's a reasonable boy after all. Lemme just wake him up."

    Flea's free hand pressed against the back of Janus' neck, supporting his hanging head as a deadly smirk grew on the pink face.

    Slash's eyes bulged as he realized what the magician was about to do, Ozzie's triumph drowning in pure panic a moment later as his brain also caught up.

 "Eh… Flea?" the swordsman said in a slightly high pitched voice, "there _are_ other ways of working healing magic!" 

 "Oh shush you," the magician snorted, his smirk mere inches from Janus' defenseless lips.

    Frog dared to tear his horrified glance away to worriedly glance at Lai. He quickly looked away again. Her eyes were about to pop out of her skull, the color of her face sickly pale with terror and rage. The general hoped that he'd someday be able to forget the look in her eyes.

    And then Janus crashed on the floor.

    Flea's snicker was one inch from exploding.

 "You thought I'd really do it?" he squeaked as he fought to keep his voice under control, "powers of the world…"

    For once, Slash didn't care a damn about his image. He sighed deeply, pressing a hand against his chest in an attempt to calm his heart.

 "Lardon take you, you twisted… good gods…"

    Ozzie was too busy rubbing his temples to say anything.

    The nets sagged as the prisoners more or less collapsed in relief.

    From Flea's hands a storm of healing stars flew, covering the wizard in a warm light.

 "What kind of sick, twisted freak do you think I _am_?" the magician sniggered. 

    There was a weak groan. 

    Intent stares bore into Janus as he slowly moved his left arm and tried to use it for support, reaching a half sitting, half lying position before he managed to speak.

 "To answer your question, Flea," he grunted and finally straightened up with a heated look through the exhaust, "be glad that you couldn't hear me screaming."

 "Oh, I had a feeling you were watching from the outside," the magician evilly chuckled and poked Janus' face further upwards with a finger under his chin, "now… since Ozzie seems to have troubles with his stomach I guess I'll handle the diplomacy today."

    The wizard just glared. Flea smiled cheerfully.

 "I think the deal is that we let you and your sweet collection of family and pets go if you swear to shut up about this when you get back to the castle," the magician said.

    He flicked his finger and in his weak state Janus couldn't help but waver at the small movement.

 "I'd still like your head on a platter but I guess I can live with that," Flea added and straightened up.

 "Deal."

    Janus scowled.

 "And are you 'dead', then?" he sarcastically asked.

 "Like a stone, promise!"

    Flea grinned and looked up at the prisoners, raising his hands.

 'Oh, and by the way,' he chuckled to Janus, Slash and Ozzie only, 'you three can't act worth crap.'

    Janus dearly wished he could have smacked his forehead, hearing the Mystics silently laugh after a moment of surprise. But if he gave an indication that something was wrong and his friends found out the truth, he knew that he'd wish he _had_ been killed. 

 'That bad, eh?' Ozzie smirked.

 'Saw straight through you,' Flea snickered, 'though you have to admit this wizard-muffin has guts.'

 'Yeah… one of my worst plans ever,' Janus grunted, allowing himself to rub his forehead innocently.

 'Oh, but you're such a dear…'

    Flea nearly laughed aloud, snapping his fingers. The dark nets obediently shattered, leaving the prisoners gasping for air that had almost been neglected them, and of course due to the fact that they were now floating freely a couple of dozens yards above the ground. Supported by Flea only. 

 'Not every madman would let himself get beaten to a bloody pulp to cheer up his mortal enemy,' the magician cheerfully ended his sentence.

    At that, Janus just snorted and let it be unsaid that he hadn't held back a single grain of power. 

 'And you still went with it?' Slash somewhat less than tactfully asked.

 'Too good to pass up on. And I saw that you really did have fun, boys.'

    Flea began to lower his hands, the levitation spell following his movements. Janus' gaze was set on the descending forms of his allies, tense like they were about their situation. As relieved as he dared to be, he all too well knew of the magician's unpredictable sense of fun and he was not in the mood for cruel, stupid jokes.

    Apparently not very fond of it either, the released prisoners showed obvious signs of trying to keep from moving; the twitches of hands and nervous turns of heads spoke loudly.

    Flea's eyes narrowed.

 "Ah, one problem."

    He bent the fingers of his right hand, all but the pointing one which he held upright for a moment before beginning to bend it towards and away from him in a quick pace; a summoning gesture.

    Frog croaked in surprised protest as he helplessly shot forwards, ending up floating a couple of feet above the ground before Flea. The most primitive part of his mind decided that this was probably a really good time to start struggling, whether it brought anything or not.

 "We better do something about you, I'm afraid," the magician said with a theatrical sigh, snickering in the next second.

 "Let him down, Flea!" Janus harshly called, trying to get to his feet.

    Slash grabbed his aching shoulder and threw him back onto the floor in a fluid movement. 

 "I will, sweetie," the pink-skinned Mystic promised in a smirk, "soon…"

    Schala and the others touched the ground, but their dash forwards was blocked by the assassins, whom forced them back against the wall. The Masamune hit the hard stone floor with a sharp metallic clank. 

    For a moment longer Flea regarded the pathetically cursing and struggling green knight, leaning his chin on a finger.

 "Ah, one of my grandest spells…" he finally sighed, "and it comes down to this…"

    He raised his hands again.

 "This won't hurt a bit. I think."

    Janus' second attempt to help his friend was hindered in the same way as the first. He was too weakened to make it past Slash. 

 "Powers of the World, lend me pure power!" Flea hissed.

    Sickly purplish light flowed from his hands as he chanted words in old Zealan that Janus couldn't really make out due to the loud buzzing of the magic itself. The ribbons of stained color encircled Frog's flailing body, forming a circle around him.

    Flea suddenly called out in a wordless shout, spreading hands in a commanding wave. And the bubble obediently expanded. The shape vaguely seen within froze completely. Before a heartbeat had passed, pure white light exploded from the ball, crawling along its outer shell.

    The imprisoned shadow didn't move.

    But it grew.

    Arms, legs and body stretched out, face flattened and Janus could swear he saw hair erupt from the once bald skull. The cloak that had frozen spread out behind the knight's back like a wing melted out of existence. The wizard's eyes widened.

    And Glenn hit the ground with a groan.

 "It wasn't irreversible, silly boy," Flea snickered at Janus while the shocked swordsman stared at his once again human hands, "you just didn't know the spell to do so."

    The wizard held back a dear wish to say "I hate you so bloody much". It was the first thought coming to mind.

 "If you're done," Ozzie gruffly cut in between everything, "I think we better leave before that banshee breaks through."

    He motioned at the people and assassins by the wall. The mantis was trying to avoid being strangled.

 "Surprisingly sensible coming from you," Flea nodded, apparently returning to his old self at top speed.

    The king gave him a sharp look, with a smirk tugging at his fat lips.

 "Don't push it too far, my friend," he said, "I'm fairly sure that my wife has plans on how to make sure that you stay in line in the future."

    Flea winced briefly, then sighed and shrugged.

 "Spoilsport. But oh well…"

    He grimaced one more time, then clapped his hands.

 "Always a pleasure to beat you up Janus," he said and winked with one eye, "let's do it again someday!"

 "Over my dead body," the wizard replied, but Flea had already been swallowed by the teleportation light, taking Ozzie and Slash with him. 

    By the wall, five bright flashes signaled the exit of the assassins as well.

    But before even Molor had made it over the floor, a still slightly shaking but strong hand grabbed Janus' crag and he came face to face with the face he hadn't seen since he had gone dimension hopping to save another version of himself and his nephew, and really hadn't seen "naturally" for several years. Red-brown, unruly hair seemed to flame in the dusk around the man's glare, the shadows crawling over the human face to turn it into an intimidating mask. 

    Glenn's voice was a low hiss, burning with a hardly contained mix of anger, disbelief and denial.

 "Tell. Me. Thou. Did. Not. Tell. Them. To. Beat. Thee."

    Janus knew that no matter what he tried, it wouldn't save his nose from being broken a second time. 

 "You're human again, Glenn!" he attempted, fighting to sound blank of faked remaining shock.

    Out of the corner of his eye he saw the other human-colored – and now that Glenn had his real body back, much bigger than before – fist clench while the knight's reversed, normally cheerful features constricted into a deadly scowl. Nope, didn't work. He hadn't really managed to hope it would, either. 

    Wincing, Janus tried to brace himself for the impact. But he got a respite for that moment as Lai more or less tackled him out of his friend's grip, pressing herself forcefully against him. Schala was more gentle, falling down on her knees beside her brother to enfold his shoulders into her embrace.

    Chuckling dryly as he heard his friends weak groan at the weight, Molor slithered up to give Janus support with his long, bendable body. Cered meanwhile gave Glenn a hand to get up on rather unsteady, suddenly twice as long legs.

 "Not half bad, really," Janus tried to assure Schala as she stuttered a question about how he felt, "Molor managed to rip my mind out of my body during their last attack, I was unconscious before it really hit me."

 "Janus," Glenn scowled, still not halfway to forgiving the desperate idiocy, "shut thy mouth and suffer like a man."

 "What do you m…" Lai began, turning to Glenn with a growing, angry frown.

    Knowing well what would happen if his friend got tempted to tell everyone else about his conclusion, Janus let his undead survival instincts rule. Grabbing Lai's shoulder before she could finish her question he tore her upwards and forcefully pressed his lips against hers.

    While she was still blinking and Schala chuckling softly at the strange sight, Janus smiled drowsily at his fiancée's surprised face.

 "I'd like to just go home now…" he mumbled.

    Then he fell backwards to be supported only by Molor, skewering the last will that kept him conscious despite his exhaust.

Glenn still broke his nose the next day after dragging the wizard away from the spying eyes of friends in Guardia castle. Then the general promised not to tell anyone else.

    All that was quickly forgotten however, as Schala and Cered as carefully as possible told the rest of their already and future family about the remaining Lavos' spawns.

    And in the Mystic's lair, Flea grudgingly put his glasses in place, disdainfully looking over his reflection.

 "Horrible. And if I go blind over time, I'm blaming you and those meddling Guardians," he snapped at the smirking Skeeza.

    She rubbed her chin with her still functional hand, gaze running over the once again male, but still dainty, form before her. 

 "I wouldn't say horrible," she finally said, "you're too harsh on yourself."

 "Flatterer."

    Flea smirked casually, glancing at himself in the mirror again. 

 "And my, my, Skeeza, you shouldn't go around saying such things, married woman that you are."

    He would have started running right then if he had seen the queen's devious grin. A moment later he clearly heard it, however.

 "True, true… but Flea, let's not talk about me. We were talking about you."

    Every single hair on the magician's body stood on end as his worst qualms were proven true.

 "Oh, no. No, no, no, no…"

 "Oh _yes_!" Skeeza spoke with the voice of a titan, grabbed Flea's arm and dragged him out of the seclusion of the room, "but first of all, everyone will want to see you again."

    Deaf to his whining, the queen dragged the head magician towards the fortress' center, towards the rest of the Mystics.

    Flea sighed. He knew he was doomed if the queen had been scheming against his personality. But it wouldn't stop him from fighting against his fate with fangs and claws.  

    The throne room was filled to the brim, the screeches and sharp chirps of the monsters enough to turn a man gray-haired. And for a moment Flea's growing headache let him be as he brightly grinned at the chaos. 

    Ahh, sweet home…  


	48. Be very, very, VERY afraid

Epilogue, better wear a safety belt

Marle yawned as she wandered up the stair towards her room. It was ten am, but in her view she had been up all night despite the fact that she had sneaked out to meet up with Crono and Lucca just an hour ago. 

    It just went easier that way, her father would hardly notice that she'd been gone when they messed with time like that. With a little wizardly help in the Middle ages the Epoch could be quite precise. And even if not, Marle would have had a good reason to give if asked where she had been. One couldn't pass up on a friend's wedding like that, especially not a friend like Janus'. They'd do the same for Glenn whenever he decided to marry as well, guaranteed. And Ayla too, of course. Though if humans in her time married per say was another thing… whatever… Marle wasn't up for questions like that.

    Seeing Schala safe and sound had been a relief, to realize that the man draping his arm around her shoulder was Crono's ancestor had been quite a surprise. And the snake… well, Crono could handle some extra, panicked weight for a minute or two. The fact that the giant creep talked helped a little, but only so much.

    Despite the trauma that Molor had caused, the princess felt very happy as she almost skipped up the stairs, a smile playing on her lips at the memories of her past day. Lai could be very pretty when she actually wanted to…

    She was nearing the end of the stair, hearing familiar steps closing in above her. But she couldn't really tell who it was. 

    Reaching the top she turned around the corner as she heard that whoever it could be still was a few steps around and thus held no threat of a crash of bodies.

 "Good morning, Nadia," the approaching man said, smiling slightly.

 "Morning Gareth," Marle replied.

    They passed each other and he began descending the stair. The princess walked about three more steps before she stopped dead. Her eyes bulged.

 "'_Gareth_'?!"

 "Yes?"

    She spun around to see him looking around the corner of the stair's entrance. Strong fingers gripping the edge of the wall and a thin, sunburned face. Eyes colored like crystallized blood and short cut, bluish hair that did nothing to hide his pointy ears.

 "Uh…" Marle said, not fully realizing that she was staring.

    A blue eyebrow went up. Then suddenly a smile cracked Gareth's confusion.

 "Messing with time again, are we?" he said, coming up the stair and changing the grip of the book he had been carrying in his left hand.

    Marle had to lean against the wall, ignoring the priceless tapestry that pictured the land of Guardia. Her head was spinning.

 "I should be reprimanding you, Your Highness, and believe you me I'd be ranting for ages had you not traveled with my forefather," Gareth said, shaking his head with a sigh.

    His ears were not as pointy as Janus', but the magic in their blood refused to fully let go as such details in his appearance showed. Thirteen generations had not been able to erase all similarities, even though the descendant had a slightly different shape of his head and was a bit shorter than his ancestor.

 "You… Janus… and… oh my God…" Marle stuttered, pressing a hand against her forehead.

    Memories filled her mind like bubbles rising in hot water, memories of things she _knew_ could _not_ have happened. This man that stood before her had _not_ existed when she left Guardia to attend Janus' wedding.

    He had _not_ stubbornly given her magic lessons, she had _not_ called him a half-Mystic in anger – an act that she felt deadly ashamed for now – he had also _never_ after a lot of persuasion agreed to help her get out of the castle to go to the Millennial fair and he had _not_ stalled the trial against her father, nearly loosing his own head in Yakra XIII's schemes. To name a few things that Gareth the thirteenth royal wizard of Guardia had not been through since he simply hadn't existed.

    Marle knew all this, but the new memories spoke differently. They weren't even new memories, they had been there all the time, she'd known Gareth since she was a baby. He and his father… oh dear Lord…

 "Ah…" she began, forcing herself to stop blinking like an idiot, "you're real?"

    Gareth laughed at that, shaking his head.

 "Oh dear, this is worse than I thought…" he muttered.

 "But I just came back from Janus' wedding, you _weren't here_ before!" the princess blurted before she could stop herself.

 "When's my birthday?" Gareth calmly asked without even raising an eyebrow.

 "The twenty-fourth of July," Marle automatically replied, then blinked again.

    The royal wizard nodded, chuckling slightly.

 "Then all is well. If you can remember me even if I didn't exist before, then you haven't fallen into a new time stream – as I warned you about a hundred times, mind you. Our stream has simply been modified."

    He said this with a sense of pride. Marle regarded him for a second, still trying to accept that he was a part of reality.

 "You really do take the studies of time seriously," she finally said.

 "I really have no…"

    Gareth fell silent as running steps were heard from the stair, light but just audible. He slowly closed his eyes.

 "Oh, no…"

    Before she even knew why, Marle had sidled several steps away to avoid impact.

 "There you are!" a shrill voice shrieked.

    The book in Gareth's hand fell to the floor as he crumbled under the tackle performed by a vision of white, blue and pink. Lush, bright red hair fell like a veil over the arms encircling his shoulders from behind, matching eyes sparkling between the half closed, pink eyelids. A smirk revealed two rows of sharp teeth.

 "Did you think you could get away from me, eh?" the assaulter demanded, grinning from pointy ear to pointy ear.

 "Never dreamt about it," Gareth muttered, making no attempt to pry off the arms as he knew it to be futile.

    It was a woman. And she wore a set of tight, white pants and a similar shirt with short sleeves. Unruly, big blue spots crawled over the cloth and below the dark belt where several mysterious pouches hung. They made a jingling sound as she moved, the strange bells accompanying the sparkle of her golden earrings.

    Marle leaned even more heavily on the wall. 

 "Mantis!"

    More steps came up the stair and an even more scantily clad Mystic woman showed up. The soft sandals on her feet contrasted the lack of shoes of her companion, but that was not what widened the princess' eyes further.

    She was probably beautiful to the monsters, humans might have different ideas of course. 

    Her clothing was hardly more than thick white ribbons, one such being the only thing covering her chest. They were also what made up her pants, if one could call it that. The fluffy, thick strands of cloth were held up by a golden belt around her waist and tied to her ankles, sewn well together from her stomach _almost_ all the way down to her knees – at that point they were cut, leaving more air than cloth.

    Humans probably thought that the thick pink lips didn't go well her purple skin, and though she had enough darkly purple hair to almost hide it, it was plain that her head had larger proportions than what appeared comfortable.  

 "Manty, will you stop fooling around?" Dancer tiredly growled, grabbing her friend's shoulder with a fine hand.

    At this point, Marle simply pressed a hand against her face and shook her head.

 "Aww…" Mantis grumbled but released Gareth who scooped up his book as if nothing had happened.

 "Good morning to you too," he said, surprisingly soft, "how did our dear Ozzie XIII take the news about Yakra of the same number?"

    Teeth flashed.

 "Ah. And what did you do with the big bug?" the wizard said, his lips twitching.

 "Oh no, no, no…" Dancer said, reaching out to playfully tug at a human colored, pointy ear, "such things are not meant for virgin ears such as yours and the princess'. Your Highness."

    She and Mantis paused their grinning at Gareth to perform an exaggerated bow to Marle, who somehow managed to nod.

    As she straightened up, the pink-skinned acrobat smiled brightly at the wizard.

 "Mystics do not like traitors, especially not if they try to kill off our allies," she smiled.

    Gareth braced himself for the impact, showing excellent skills in fortune telling.

 "Nobody tries to frame _my_ little brother and gets away with it!" Mantis stated, affectionately burying her face against the sighing wizard's chest. 

    Marle was certain that she heard the universe creak. Then her newly acquired memories jumped in to save her from going insane, and she remembered that Mantis kept calling Gareth "little brother" just to mess with him. By blood, they had no relation at all. 

    Another memory popped up, and she didn't know if she wanted to wince or laugh at the picture of Janus' face when they just had beaten Yakra XIII in the courtroom. Seeing Mantis and Dancer had been a great shock. Not to mention when the acrobat cursed the giant bug with the words "No one threatens my little bro and lives!". The poor wizard had been near a mental breakdown it had seemed. 

    Yet another thing that couldn't have happened. 

    And still… there they were. All three of them. Only one thing to do about it.

    The princess took in a deep breath and stepped away from the wall, smiling at the two Mystics.

 "Have you gotten any breakfast yet?" she asked.

    Gareth gratefully smiled at his helper as Mantis happily let him go to smile brightly at the princess.

 "Not really, Your Highness," Dancer quickly cut off, politely nodding, "we came here as soon as possible to report to your father and Gareth."

 "Then we better make something about that, you deserve nothing less after saving our royal wizard," Marle said.

    She willed her smile not to waver in further confusion as the descendants of Flea and Slash gratefully but no less playfully bowed to her.

The End.

Afterword:

Kwehehe, yes, I am _inzane_! Didn't you realize that earlier?

    Now, keep your eyes open for the full trial scene (the one mentioned in Marle's new memories) in "Failed Takes and Scenes never Seen", it's one of those things that I wanted to do but couldn't due to the plot forbidding it. I believe you can see why it didn't work just by looking at the epilogue. 

    Yes, I know I cut the ending short. But I couldn't make a complete rewrite of Magus' Quest, it would be nothing but just the same stuff but with slightly altered characters. No fun to write, nor to read. So, I decided that the Janus' Saga would end here. Next up is the Author's note. Be afraid. 


End file.
